I Get Carried Away
by Melancholy Lethe
Summary: A slice of life AU fictional account of life at college. Written from Maka and Soul's POVs it narrates the ups and downs that come with life and navigating love and friendship, as well as the bigger issues that seem to happen for no reason. It's a long slow build up of character development, but I enjoy writing and I hope you will enjoy reading. I own nothing from SOUL EATER, etc.
1. Chapter 1

Maka Albarn fiddled moodily with the cuffs of her sweater as she stared longingly out the window as Tsubaki and Black Star, her two childhood friends, waved goodbye. Tsubaki was contrite and mouthed the word "sorry" as she flicked her head at Black Star who was waving enthusiastically without the slightest bit of guilt. Maka rolled her eyes as she waved back with one hand, while pulling her phone out of her pocket with the other. She was stuck with community service, which meant after class she would spend the majority of her Friday evening at the university, and this was all due to the antics of Black Star.

"Of course he wouldn't get caught." She muttered under her breath, before slouching further down in the uncomfortable school desk and texting Tsubaki:

 _No biggie. I'll see you later?_

 _Maka :)_

Her phone gave a short buzz:

 _Looking forward to movies and pizza tonight!_

 _XOXO_

 _Tsu_

Maka smiled before sliding her phone back into her black skinny jeans. Maka represented an interesting conglomeration of looks; conscious of her still girlish figure, even as a sophomore in college, Maka compensated by wearing tight jeans or leggings that always ended in heavy combat boots that dwarfed her feet, baggy sweaters that fell past her butt, and very rarely, with Tsubaki's persuasion, some cute t-shirts. Today was the usual black jeans and baggy "old man" sweater as Black Star called them.

Today she had made little to no effort on her hair either and had pulled it into it's customary twin pigtails high on her head. Luckily, her ash blond hair was relatively straight and required little work outside of brushing. The only effort that Maka made on a regular basis was a slight line of black eyeliner to accent her deep green eyes.

Reaching up Maka pulled out first one and then the other pigtail before running her fingers through her hair. Her hair fell about to her shoulders in a fashionable set of layers and was really quite pretty down, which is why Maka almost never wore it down.

"If you're done fiddling with your hair, I've been instructed to bring you to Dr. Stein's office." an unfamiliar voice drawled.

Maka sat up quickly and looked over to the doorway where the voice had originated from; slouched against the door frame was the new transfer student, Soul Evans. Maka knew very little about Soul other than the general gossip of his recent transfer from the larger university nearby, and a vibe from him of what seemed to be a general dislike of the small university's atmosphere. Trying not to stare at his snow white hair and crimson eyes Maka hurriedly grabbed her messenger bag and stood up.

"I was not fiddling!" She said indignantly. "And I wouldn't have bothered if I had known you were there." She hitched her bag on her shoulder and marched through the rows of desks to the doorway. "If I hadn't had to wait so long…"

"Cool it chick." Soul held up his hands in mock defeat. "I can't keep up with girls when they go all crazy. I was just told by Stein to go get anyone from the Detention room. He smiled impishly, his slightly pointed teeth making Maka shiver.

Her determined march through the doorway faltered slightly as she passed him and the slight smell of a musky yet spicy cologne made her her pause. Trying to cover the pause she turned quickly toward Soul who she thought was still lounging on the doorframe.

Her quick turn ended up swinging her bag right into Soul's knee, and he winced before stepping back.

"Oh my God!" Maka's expression of righteous anger quickly changed to one of worried agitation. "Are you ok? I'm so sorry, I thought you were still…"

"It's fine. Let's just go." Soul's terse reply and closed expression stopped Maka halfway as she reached out toward him.

"Fine." Her expression mirroring his, she turned quickly once more before striding down the hall toward the offices.

A glint of amusement gleamed in Soul's eyes and he chuckled under his breath and followed her at a much more leisurely pace.


	2. Chapter 2

Maka was waiting impatiently at the entrance to Dr. Stein's office when Soul finally caught up.

"Took you long enough." She sneered. "If Dr. Stein asks, you're the one who held us up!"

"Well, if someone hadn't rammed my knee with their bag I could've walked faster. What do you have in that bag anyway? Bricks?"

Maka's face brightened slightly, "I have the book series…"

"Woah, you have a whole series of books in there?"

Maka's face soured at Soul's tone of voice, "Yes, I do. Seven in the set to be exact." Then she deliberately turned her back without waiting for his response and knocked on Dr. Stein's door.

Maka couldn't understand why this boy infuriated her so much. She was normally very level-headed and it took more than just some off-hand comment and sexy grin to get her riled up. _Wait not sexy. Annoying._ Maka shook her head in frustration trying to clear the fog that was slowly filling her senses from Soul's scent and proximity.

Lost in her thoughts, Maka didn't hear Stein's invitation to come in until a slight nudge on her elbow by Soul brought her back to the hallway and at the same time sent small tingles up and down her arm.

As Maka pulled her arm away and began to open the door to Dr. Stein's office, she was startled when the door suddenly flew open and Dr. Stein peered around the doorway.

"Are you coming in or not?" He growled.

Sheepishly, Maka muttered an apology and walked past him to sit in one of the two chairs in front of Dr. Stein's desk. She flinched and scooted over farther when Soul sank into the chair next to her. He smirked at her slight movement and her sudden preoccupied interest in the other side of Dr. Stein's office.

Maka's interest was not pretend by any means. Dr. Stein's office was a crazy assortment of test tubes with brightly colored liquids inside and some with objects floating grotesquely in the half light. The test tubes were only a small part of the haphazard arrangement, everything in the office seemed just slightly off-kilter and tainted with a slight haze of misdirection. If one looked at an object too long it seemed to shift and change, but when viewed from even a slightly different perspective the whole office seemed intentionally normal. It made you feel that perhaps it wasn't the objects in the office that were off-kilter but the person viewing them instead.

With an inward shrug, Maka turned away from her observations and began to fiddle with the cuffs of her sweater again. Maka heard Dr. Stein shut his door and his slow tread as he moved around her to sit backwards on a rolling office chair behind his desk. Resting his arms on the back of the chair and turning toward Soul, he asked a question that Maka couldn't hear.

Stein served as a rather eccentric science teacher for the upper level classes, and was also the guidance counselor for the juniors and any troubled students. Maka was not a troublemaker and as a sophomore she was not in any of Dr. Stein's science classes, so though she knew him vaguely she took the opportunity of his conversation with Soul to examine the professor. Maka wasn't sure if it was his mannerisms or his appearance that were considered eccentric. His clothes were normal enough for a teacher: black dress pants, grey turtleneck sweater, and a lab coat, but the unusual aspect was that all of his clothes had large sloppy stitches in the seams. His shaggy grey hair was too long to be considered professional, and the large gauges in his ears looked like screws. All of which could be excused because he was a younger professor, probably only five or six years older than the seniors; however, the most unusual aspect was the glint of either intelligence or madness present in his grey-green eyes.

As he finished his conversation with Soul, Dr. Stein leaned back and pulled open a desk drawer to grab a pack of cigarettes. He tapped the pack a couple of times on the desk before he opened it and selected a cigarette, finally placing the pack back into his desk drawer.

Maka looked questionably over at Soul as Dr. Stein proceeded to light the cigarette. Soul seeing Maka's look of incredulity shrugged, laughing a little as he did.

"Hey, Stein." Soul said turning toward the desk and leaning backward while stretching his arms above his head. Maka couldn't help but notice the slight flash of skin, which showed, in just those few seconds, what must be a taut stomach. Maka swallowed, shook herself slightly and looked away as Soul continued. "I don't think pigtails here likes you smoking in the school." Finishing his stretch Soul leaned forward onto Dr. Stein's desk before turning his head slightly to see Maka's reaction from the corner of his eyes.

Maka sniffed, crossed her arms, and her right leg over her left before slouching back uncomfortably. "I don't care. He's a professor and knows the rules as well as I do." The slight flush in her cheeks gave away the lie.

Dr. Stein chuckled, but didn't put out the cigarette. "The Dean allows me to smoke in my office Maka. I assure you he knows." At this, Maka visibly relaxed and turned back toward the desk. "Regardless, we aren't here to discuss my smoking habits. I know that you weren't the cause of today's earlier flagpole problem Maka."

Maka sits up quickly, "Well then…"

Holding up a hand Dr. Stein continues, "But I also know Black Star couldn't help me with the task that I need accomplished."

Slouching back again Maka muttered "As long as this doesn't go on my record, I guess."

Dr. Stein hadn't heard her mutter but Soul's snickers earned him a scowl with a hissed "Well some of us care about our grades."

"Precisely," Dr. Stein's simple response brought both Maka and Soul's attention back to the professor. "As you know, Soul is a junior who has recently transferred to our small university. He unfortunately was not blessed with a drive to do well in school, and if his previous academic record in any indication, he will probably fail my class." At this Soul fidgeted and began to tap out a beat on Dr. Stein's desk with his thumbs.

"Dr. Stein, I don't see what that has to do with me." Maka's matter-of-fact statement clashed with her increasing agitation with Soul's fidgeting fingerbeats.

"I have been given permission to move you into my science class. Professor Sid says you could easily move into my class with no problem and do well. It would give you a challenge that you sorely need in your academic repertoire. The only caveat is that you must partner with Soul and tutor him as necessary."

Soul's fingers stopped their tattoo on Dr. Stein's desk. "What?! I don't need some uppity underclassman to tutor me! That's not cool at all, Stein."

At the same time Maka said excitedly "I can transfer into your class!? It's nearly impossible to get into that class as an underclassman!"

When both Maka and Soul realized what the other had said they started to bicker and the noise level began to steadily escalate. With a sigh, Dr. Stein stubbed out his cigarette, opened his desk drawer and repeated his earlier process, but this time he slammed the desk drawer closed with a bang.

Maka and Soul both jumped. Giving each other a final glare they each settled back in their chairs before refocusing on Dr. Stein.

Lighting his cigarette looked the pair over thoughtfully. "The Dean has already approved the idea and Maka will be in my class on Monday. Soul if you aren't there your transfer will be revoked and I will no longer be able to act as your guardian. Your parents will pull you back to your old school."

"This is bullshit and you know it Stein." Soul snarled as he stood up and went to the door opening it before turning back with one last parting gibe. "I guess I'll see you Monday, Pigtails." Then he slouched through the door slamming it shut behind him.

"Is he going to be like this in class too?" Maka said staring at the door still shaking in it's frame.

"Probably worse." Stein said with a final drag on his cigarette. "You can leave now, your community service for today is finished." Stein waved her away in a obvious dismissal. "Enjoy your weekend."


	3. Chapter 3

"He's just infuriating!" Maka exclaimed as she flipped through movies on Netflix. She and Tsubaki were roommates in the on-campus apartments. They had lucked into getting an apartment over the campus dormitories because this year the DWM University had turned the dormitories into all male housing, due to certain incidents last year (Ahem Black Star). The apartments were shitholes and barely big enough for one person let alone two, but the fact that the apartments had their own bathrooms meant they were highly desirable real estate on the university. Maka and Tsubaki's apartment complex was one of the furthest from the actual campus classrooms, which meant relative privacy, but also a long-ass cold walk in the winter.

Tsubaki nodded in understanding making her long black ponytail sway with the movement; she didn't say anything aloud because she was on the phone with the local pizza place and was patiently waiting for them to pick up. Maka continued to mutter as Tsubaki politely began her order.

"Yes, I would like to place an order for delivery."

"Asshat, thinking he could just…"

"Yes, I would like the special of two large two topping pizzas?"

"And acting like that to Professor Stein! Insane!"

"What toppings? Ummmm…."

"Pepperoni and banana peppers!" Maka exclaimed. "Please Tsu?"

Tsubaki wrinkled her nose a little, as she leaned against the counter. "Could I get one with pepperoni and banana peppers? And the other, uh, could I just get double pepperoni? And can I double the special and get four pizzas?"

Maka rolled her eyes, "So, Black Star is coming over huh?"

Tsubaki blushed as she continued the order, "Yes, that's fine. No. I'll be paying with cash. Thank you very much. Uh-huh, goodbye."

Maka stared pointedly at Tsubaki, who busied herself wiping off her phone on the hem of her shirt.

"I thought we were having a girl's night, Tsu?"

"But it's the weekend Maka! And you know Black Star and Kid are the only ones who can sneak alcohol onto campus!"

"So, not only is Black Star coming over but Kid is too? Why didn't you tell me! I look fucking awful right now!

"Maka we both know that's not true."

"And this place is a mess! You know how Kid gets! I'm going to run across and get Liz and Patty to help clean real quick!"

"Maka, calm down. I've already called them." Tsu smiled knowingly at her friend's distress. Tsubaki, Liz, Patty, and even Black Star had all been patiently waiting for Maka and Kid to admit their feelings for each other, but as of yet, neither of them would own up to liking the other.

As Maka began to furiously round up her books, which were stacked haphazardly around the room, Tsubaki's phone gave a short _bzzt_. Her smile widened just slightly as she saw it was from Black Star.

 _Bringing Kid's new roommate. Don't worry he's bringing some good shit._

 _Black Star_

Tsubaki's heart fluttered just a little, as it always did when she thought of her and Black Star, before sinking when she realized who the new kid must be.

"Oh no," Tsubaki, whispered with a quick glance at Maka who had piled all her books back onto the book shelves and was now wrestling with the tangled cords of the vacuum cleaner.

"Uh, Maka. I'm going to run and check with Patty and Liz. I'll be right back!"

All Tsubaki heard was a slight grunt, as Maka freed the vacuum cleaner and landed rather ungracefully on her ass.

* * *

"Hahahaha, so what you're telling me is that the new resident hot guy, Soul Evans, is going to be at our party tonight, and he's bringing alcohol, but there's been a tiff between Maka and this dude?" Liz's grin was ecstatic. "This is fucking awesome."

"What?" Tsubaki's sputtered. She bit her bottom lip nervously and sank back onto her heels slightly. "Liz, were you listening to anything I just said? This is really bad! You know how riled up Maka can get, and it's even worse when she's drinking!"

"Oh, I can't wait for this!" Liz was practically rubbing her hands together in glee. "It's been pretty dull around here lately. Patty and I were about to get into some trouble but this'll keep us entertained instead." Liz's smile brightened, "And, to top it all off I bet Kid doesn't know Maka will be in our science class now."

Liz was a junior and Patty was a sophomore, and they were the most recent additions to the group of friends, even though they had joined the group at the end of elementary school nearly 10 years ago. Patty was the shorter of the two and her style matched her personality. She was rather flighty, and kept her blonde hair short and out of her way. Her clothes were tight and brightly colored, displaying her deceivingly athletic build. Currently, she was interested in painting as demonstrated by the mass of canvas and paints stacked against the wall next to the pile of yarn from Patty's knitting phase and the drawers full of metal and plastic pieces and parts from her jewelry phase.

Where Patty was flighty, Liz was grounded. She kept the apartment running, and kept Patty in school. Being in and out of foster homes from a young age, she had learned to take care of herself and Patty, while at the same time how to shield Patty from some of the darker habits of many of their foster parents. It could be said that Liz's only weakness was Patty, as she gladly would sacrifice anything to make sure Patty was happy.

When the sisters came to the DMW Academy, the precursor to University, Liz had made sure no one would mess with the Thompson girls by initiating a fight the biggest bully during recess. She'd been suspended for a week, while the other kid had been hospitalized and then eventually transferred to a new district. Liz and Patty drifted in relative obscurity through the rest of that year, until Kid was paired with Liz for a school project.

Throughout the project Kid began to understand the how and why of Patty and Liz's life, and with very little fuss he had his father, the Dean of DMWA and DMWU, assume responsibility for the two. They moved to the academy with Kid, and the three had been good friends ever since. It took somewhat longer for Tsubaki and Maka to warm up to the scary Thompson sisters, but with Kid's persuasion and Black Star's general acceptance of anyone who might worship him the Thompson girls were new initiates to the childhood gang.

"Ok, it's decided. C'mon Patty. Let's go help Maka and Tsu prepare for this party." Liz's smile gleamed in the half light of the hallway. "I can't wait to see how this turns out."


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: (Warning: Underage Drinking. Not explicitly, buuut if you're not a fan then you've been warned.)**

With the help of Tsubaki, Liz, and Patty the apartment was cleaned to Maka's satisfaction, and Liz, who had the best understanding of Kid's OCD tendencies, had arranged the room in a way that would keep Kid sane.

"If you'd like I can arrange your room too, Maka." Liz said with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. "You know in case either of you actually decide to make a move." Liz ducked quickly before Maka could hit her with one of the last remaining books in the room.

"Ha ha very funny." Maka stuck her tongue out as she collected the book she had thrown at Liz along with the remaining books in the room before she stomped off to her room at the end of the hallway.

"Liz, why do you antagonize her?" Tsu said from the small bathroom off the living room as she finished adjusting her hair. "How does this look? I thought I'd try something new." Tsu gestured at her hair which was pulled into a graceful ballerina bun on top of her head, which accented the sharp angles of her face and somehow made her appear even more willowy, even with her large bust.

"Because it's fun." Liz said from the doorway of the bathroom as she assessed Tsubaki's look. "And I love it Tsu, you should try things like this more often. You look smoking hot. Oh, I know what would be perfect! I'll be right back!" With this exclamation Liz turned from the door, vaulted over the couch, and skidded out the door, running quickly to her apartment.

Maka emerged still looking slightly peeved before Patty taking one look at Maka's hair tutted at her and whisked her back into her room among Maka's loud protests she was fine. Tsubaki shook her head slightly at the antics of her friends before going into the small kitchenette and pulling out some of the miscellaneous snack foods that she had splurged on earlier that week. _Never go grocery shopping when you're hungry._

As she finished placing the last of the junk food on the small counter, Liz arrived slightly winded with a beautiful sheer mint top. "This - This will look absolutely gorgeous on you." Liz panted, "Plus, it'll almost match Black Star's hair." She grinned before handing the top to Tsu. "Now I need to steal that adorable Harry Potter crop top of yours, and I need to create a wicked cat eye. So, you'll need to change in your room." Liz said as she sidled into the bathroom.

"Liz, I can't take this! It's much too pretty for a night of drinking."

"Please Tsu." Liz snorted. "I'll never wear it and we both know it's nice to surprise Black Star every once in awhile. His shocked face cracks me up." Liz's hands were steady as she carefully applied her cat eye to her right and then her left eye. "Now, go grab that crop top and leave me be! My hair's an absolute mess." Liz pulled a face at her reflection on the mirror as she waved Tsubaki away, eyeliner pen still in hand.

"Patty you are a goddess." Maka exclaimed from her room.

"I know." The smirk in Patty's voice was evident as she and Maka emerged from the bedroom. Maka's hair had been styled to look slightly tousled with waves falling at just the right angles. Patty had stolen Maka's headband from high school consumer sciences, with it's heavy stitching and patches it looked like it had been made by a third grader. Maka was still embarrassed by the inexpertise of the headband, but Patty had done such an awesome job with her hair she couldn't refuse when she had asked to wear it.

Patty had also convinced Maka to wear her pleated skirt with her tights and an adorable black lace shirt. Patty had stolen one of Maka's cuter sweaters, which was tight on her bust and Patty, though not much taller than Maka, was only wearing shorts under the sweater, so it appeared Patty was not wearing much at all.

Liz emerged from the bathroom with her hair plaited into a braid looking suspiciously like Katniss Everdeen's, if Katniss were a blonde, took one look at Patty and immediately frogmarched her back to their apartment. The pair came back shortly with Patty wearing tight black skinny jeans under Maka's sweater, and Liz was wearing a pair of low riding blue jeans that flared just right accentuating her hips and waist.

"Maka you look bangin'." Liz winked at Maka before continuing, "Kid better find his balls and at least kiss you tonight." Liz left Maka and Patty on the couch before heading back to Tsubaki's room. Tsubaki had taken Liz's place in the bathroom and Liz called out to her as she passed by, "I'm going to borrow that shirt now. The guys should be here any minute."

"You think Kid will like this?" Maka gestured somewhat self-consciously at her outfit and fiddled with her hair.

"Maka. Stop being ridiculous." Tsubaki called from the bathroom.

"Maka, you look fine." Patty said flipping through channels nonchalantly sprawled out on the couch. "Now the more important question is, when is the pizza going to get here?"

"I set it for a little bit after the guys get here." Tsubaki said apologetically as she sat down next to Patty on the couch. "But you can help yourself to the stuff in the kitchen."

Liz plopped down in one of the armchairs her feet dangling over the armrest and her head over the other showing off her stomach in what was admittedly a very cute Harry Potter crop top, and Liz definitely had the self confidence and body to pull it off.

"This is boring." Liz huffed. "I say let's pregame. I have a bottle of vodka in my freezer, and I need to grab my connector for my phone so we can have some decent music." With this Liz hopped up, opened the door, and nearly ran over Kid, Black Star, and Soul.

"Hey! Be right back guys, just about to start drinking with some shots!" Liz darted past the boys leaving the door open for them.

"Yahoo! Everybody does a shot when you get back!" Black Star called after Liz, who simply gave him the finger as she opened her own apartment.

"Hey guys come on in." Maka said she had kept one book out and had her head down buried in the book with her legs tucked beneath her as she said this.

"I need some adoration, Tsubaki. I haven't seen you in-"

"Less than three hours." Maka said dryly cutting Black Star off and looking up from her book. "God, you two are too much some-" Maka trailed off as she noticed a familiar slouched figure following Kid through the doorway.

"What the hell is he doing here?" She whispered heatedly to Tsubaki, who shrugged in slight apology.

"Sorry, Maka. Black Star had already invited him. And I guess he's pretty cool according to Black Star and Kid. Plus he can sneak in alcohol." She patted her friend's hand in consolation, "Hey don't worry about it. You look awesome and I bet Kid finally makes his move tonight." Tsubaki's eyes twinkled as she noted the slight blush on Maka's cheeks.

"Oh, go kiss your boyfriend, you sap." Maka waved her friend away, dog eared the page she was on, untucked her feet and stood slowly, and then tucked the book away behind the entertainment center.

"Reading for pleasure or studying again?" Kid teased as he walked over to where Maka stood stretching slightly.

Maka's cheeks grew warm and she looked down at her boots. "Pleasure actually. Tsubaki and Liz are so caught up in this Harry Potter thing I thought I'd see what it's about."

"Oh?" Kid's face registered a slight surprise as he began to adjust some of the decorations in front of the tv. "And what do you think?"

Before Maka could begin, Liz was back. She dropped off the bottle of vodka into Black Star's eager hands, then quickly changed direction toward the tv and sound system.

"Sorry." she mouthed to Maka before she started to scold Kid for rearranging the trinkets.

"Kid, leave those be and go do a shot. I'm going to get some music going so this is an actual party!"

Kid obediently left for the small kitchen, but not after first turning to Maka and saying, "I want to tell you before I get too drunk and it means less, but you look really pretty tonight." He smiled before quickly arranging the last piece on the entertainment stand and turning to the kitchen. "Alright, Black Star! Pour me a shot! C'mon Soul stop standing at the counter like a scared freshman and do a shot with me."

"Sorry, Maka." Liz's tone begged Maka to forgive her for interrupting the private conversation.

"That's no problem. I was getting too nervous anyway. I tend to forget what I want to say when Kid's here."

"Well, shots always help you." Liz said before she started a playlist of songs specifically tailored to the group's preferences. "Let's go get some vodka before Black Star does something stupid and drops the bottle."

"Or chugs it." Maka laughed as she headed into the kitchen with Liz.

Luckily, Tsubaki had commandeered the bottle and somehow directed the boys into a line. "Before we start, the pizza should be here by now. Does someone want to go to the door and get it?"

"I don't mind." Maka said, at the same time that Soul said "No problem."

"Why don't you both go?" Liz said. Her mouth quirking to the side as she tried to hide her smile.

"It might be better if you both go since the elevator is broken, Maka." Tsubaki said.

"Oh, who cares!" Black Star shouted. "Maka and Soul volunteered so let them go. They're the ones who decided to miss the first round! So, go on!" Black Star shooed them out as the buzzer sounded.

Irritated Maka, spoke quickly into the mouthpiece. "Be right down." She grabbed the pizza money from behind the cookie jar and huffily made her way into the hall. Black Star pushed Soul after her. "Don't drop the pizza, Maka!" he shouted before slamming the door.

"So, Pigtails."

"Don't call me that. My name is Maka."

Soul snorted at the venom her voice contained in the two short sentences thrown haphazardly in his direction. "So, Maka." He said, easily keeping pace with her shorter stride. "You and my roommate, huh?"

Maka stopped suddenly, and Soul nearly ran her over.

"What are you talking about?" Maka's voice now held ice instead of venom.

Moving gracefully around her and opening the door to the stairwell, Soul shrugged. "Nothing I guess."

"Humph."

An almost awkward silence descended as the two made their way down the four flights to the entryway. Maka quickly paid the delivery guy, and splitting the pizzas between the two of them the silence continued until they made it back to the apartment.

"Don't say anything. Ok?" Maka said sullenly to the floor before opening the door.

"Whatever chick. It's your business." Soul said under his breath. Though now he didn't feel half as bad as he watched her walk through the doorway. _Those legs with that skirt? His roommate would be a fool not to wanna hook up with this chick._

Soul shook his head. _What the fuck... The chick was a nerd and probably pretty stuck up_. _He'd be better of working on the blonde one with the headband._

Soul and Maka each set their pizzas down on the last of the available counter space. Maka was able to open the lid on one of her pizza boxes before Black Star shoved a shot in her hand. Soul wasn't as quick.

"Catch up to me if you can. Not many people can keep up with a God you know."

Maka snorted before throwing her shot back. Soul followed suit but gagged a little. "This is shit vodka." He said wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Excuse me?" Liz as she snatched a piece of pizza from Maka's open box.

"You heard me, Katniss. This vodka tastes like water."

Liz laughed. "Alright, well let's see how well you're doing by the end of the night Scarlet. After pizza we play Mario Kart."

Soul tried to hide his confusion. "Mario Kart?"

"Soul don't tell me you've never played Mario Kart as a drinking game?" Kid said as he grabbed a paper plate and opened the other pizza box.

"Uh…"

"Dude, where have you been?" Black Star said as he pulled out one of the unopened pizza boxes and went to sit on the couch.

"Black Star, you can't have a whole pizza." Tsubaki said as she followed after him.

Maka leaned on the counter out of the way, watching as her friends bickered slightly and ate pizza. She'd wait a little bit, the shot wasn't sitting right in her stomach.

"You ok, Maka?" Liz popped into the kitchen and grabbed another slice of pizza before joining Maka's counter space.

"Yeah, just not hungry yet."

"What? You're not hungry." Liz faked an incredulous look before saying quietly, "Really Maka, you need to relax. Everyone here knows but you two. Why not just try and have a good time?"

"Yeah." Maka smiled at her friend. _I don't know if Kid is who I'm upset about though._ Maka's gaze unwillingly found the white headed boy sitting next to Patty on the couch. Patty was flirting with him and found it inordinately hilarious that his name was Soul.

"Hey! This head band says "Soul" and "Eat". You should wear it! Cause you're Soul and you're eating with us at your first party!" Patty beamed at the brilliance of this suggestion before pulling the headband off and placing it on Soul's head.

"I don't know. It kinda looks a little dorky." Soul shrugged uncomfortable with Patty's advances. _Definitely not going after this chick. I see the way that Katniss girl is eyeing us._

"I'm sure what he means to say is that he loves it." Liz said as she pulled Maka into the living room and onto the couch next to Kid. "Now let me kick some ass. I call Yoshi."

"What?! Then I call Mario." Black Star shouted from the armchair he and Tsubaki sat in.

"Guys we are going to have to split up unless we just want to take turns on the wii out here." Tsubaki said gesturing at the other four people. "If Black Star wouldn't mind he can grab my tv from my room." She said as she turned sweetly toward Black Star.

"I can grab my wii real quick too and I have a copy of that game somewhere. Scarlet why don't you help me?" Liz started up to the door and beckoned for Soul to follow her.

"Yeah, no problem, Katniss." Soul followed her quickly out the door.

Once Soul had closed the door behind him, Liz rounded on him. "I don't know what you think you're doing, but if Patty gets hurt I swear I will castrate you."

"Woah. What the fuck. I'm not going after your sister. We don't really have a lot in common." Soul trailed off seeing the murderous glare in Liz's eyes.

"So, what she's not good enough?" Liz asked as she angrily shoved her key in the lock and forced her apartment door open.

"No. I didn't say that. God damn. I just don't think I'm her type. She needs someone who can keep up with her energy and I'm not good at that sort of thing. It's more I'm not good enough for her."

Seemingly satisfied, Liz finished pulling out the cords to her wii. "Grab this. I think the game is around here somewhere." As she searched around the floor for the game, Soul thought of a way to ask without sounding uncool.

"So, uh, Maka. Are her and Kid…"

"No, they're both too much of a chicken to make a move. Ah hah!" Liz emerged from behind the tv with the game without its case. "Let's hope it isn't scratched." She said looking critically at the back of the disc. "And don't worry Scarlet, as long as you keep that headband, I won't say anything to Kid or Maka. Let's go get drunk."


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: (More Underage Drinking.)**

Bemusedly, Soul glanced around the room in a somewhat drunken stupor from his spot on the floor. Most everyone had passed out at this point. The shitty vodka hadn't lasted very long once Black Star started assigning shots based on arbitrary rules. Maka and Liz were the only ones who seemed to be able to keep the rules straight and had used that to get Black Star completely wasted on first the vodka, and then the whiskey that Soul had brought. He'd passed out a few games ago and Tsubaki had enlisted Kid and Soul to help her carry him to her room where she had curled up next to him and promptly fallen asleep too. Patty had passed out around the same time in Maka's bed, and after one game Liz had gone to check on her and didn't come back. So, when the remaining trio ventured out to check on her they found her passed out sitting on the floor leaning against the bedpost. Maka grabbed an extra blanket and pillow and had arranged Liz so she'd be slightly more comfortable on the floor.

"There's three beers left if you guys are up for one last game?" Kid called his head in the fridge.

Maka groaned from her place on the floor. "As long as we just follow the normal rules."

"And what are those?" Soul tried to raise himself up from his spot next to Maka on the floor, but could only manage to turn his head slightly to look at her.

Kid, who was apparently the one who could hold his alcohol the best, brought them each a beer and sat down on Maka's other side his back against the couch. "Basically, you have to finish your beer before you finish the race, but you can't drink and drive. You have to pull over to a complete stop before you can take a drink."

Maka had roused herself and was now sitting next to Kid braced against the couch as well. Soul pulled himself up next to her, with a grunt, "Sounds simple enough. How did Black Star create so many rules for this game?"

Maka snorted, "It's Black Star." She stated as if that in itself should explain everything.

"Maka, I'll be a gentleman and let you choose your character first." Kid handed her the first player controller and Maka shivered slightly as his fingers brushed hers.

"Uh, thanks." Her smile for him was warm and inviting. Nothing like the evil smiles she'd been throwing at Soul all night while she kicked his ass at this stupid game.

"It's ok, if we play with someone online to balance out the screens right?" Kid fidgeted with his controller not looking at Soul or Maka.

"Of course." Maka smiled warmly once more before selecting Toad.

"I don't know though. I mean that person won't be playing by the drinking rules so would beat us. Wouldn't it be better to just randomly select and let the extra character sit at the starting line?" Soul grimaced as he grabbed the third controller from the armchair and his stomach twisted with the movement.

"I guess." Maka forced the words out between her teeth.

"That's smart, thanks Soul." Kid grinned before rescuing the fourth controller from under the couch his head brushing against Maka's shoulder as he reached behind her.

From the corner of his eye Soul saw Maka blush, _God, this chick is hopeless._ Soul scooted closer to her and leaned over to whisper in her ear, "You're never going to get anywhere just blushing."

Maka turned her head to glare at Soul, right as he looked toward the tv and selected Yoshi as his character, but she could see the smirk at the corner of his lips. Frustrated she ignored him and turned to check and see if Kid was ready.

"Got it!" Kid was finally able to reach the controller and brought his head back up knocking into Maka's chin.

"Shit! I think I bit my lip!"

"Oh my God, Maka I am so sorry. I didn't know you were there." Kid reached a hand toward her face while he rubbed the back of his head with his other hand.

Soul was laughing manically beside them, "Hahahaha, smooth Kid." He finally was able to spit out between bursts of laughter.

"It was an accident." Maka said dabbing at her rapidly swelling lip with a tissue. "Let's just finish this game." Her eyes watered slightly when she forced herself to smile.

"Ok. Ok. Again, I'm so sorry." Kid looked down at his hands before looking up and selecting Shy Guy as his character, and randomly selecting one of the baby characters for the fourth controller.

"Just get ready to get your asses kicked." Soul smirked. "I think I'll do better with these rules."

Maka snorted. "Please you drive like Kid drives. Sorry, Kid you drive really slow." Maka patted his shoulder lightly without looking at him, so only Soul noticed the blush creeping up Kid's neck.

"But now I know there are motorcycles." Soul braced himself against the couch as the timer began its countdown.

"So?" Maka had beat them both out the gate.

Kid was chugging his beer waiting at the start. "Didn't you know Soul has a bike?" He said carefully setting his empty beer can next to his neat arrangement on the table. He slowly started driving squinting slightly at the tv. "This track seems a little more difficult than before."

Soul and Maka laughed. Maka was still way ahead but hadn't even started her beer. Looking away she said, "No, I didn't know that. Hopefully you drive better in real life on your bike than you do in this game." She quickly glanced over her teasing smirk evident.

"You won't believe me unless you take a ride sometime." Soul grinned, as he made Yoshi pull over, and popped his beer open and followed Kid's lead by chugging his beer quickly. Finished he lobbed it at the trash can and missed, "Shit." Ignoring it he picked his controller up and tried to navigate his character through the curves on the track. "Oi, Kid I see you. I'll catch up once these curves stop switching directions."

"G'Luck." Kid managed to mumble as his character moved slowly through the tunnel. "Why'sit so dark in here?" Kid's squint intensified.

Maka laughed again as Toad rounded the last lap. She decided to pull over right before the finish. Glancing at Soul she mumbled, "You wish. I'll never ride on your bike." Then slightly louder she continued with, "Just try and catch up boys." She grinned as she popped her beer open and began drinking. Halfway through the can, she stopped and covered her mouth plugging her nose and breathing quickly.

"If you vomit you lose."

"Yesh." Kid nodded along with Soul's statement.

"That's not a rule." Maka said quickly before covering her mouth again. "Excuse me." She stood up quickly almost tripping over the extra controller before dashing into the bathroom.

Kid's nods had been too much and he had sunk down onto the floor and was rubbing his temples, his controller in his lap with his character still stuck in the tunnel. "I think I just got hit with all that at once." He muttered eyes closed.

Soul had been drunk when they started but this last beer somehow helped his nauseous stomach and had sobered him up. "I'll go check on Maka." He still stood slowly, but was proud that he only slightly stumbled into the bathroom, where Maka was beginning to retch weakly into the toilet both hands braced against the seat. "Here," Soul crouched down and pulled her hair back away from her face and up into a messy bun. "Where's washclothes?" He said around looking around the tiny bathroom. Maka continued to retch. "Ah, probably here." He said spying the closet door tucked behind the bathroom door. He opened it and was rewarded for his guess. Grabbing a washcloth and shutting the door he turned the cold water on to soak the cloth. Wringing it out he placed the cool cloth on the back of her neck. "Lemme know if you need somethin." He said slurring slightly while he tried to nonchalantly brace against the sink. "Imma check on Kid."

Soul knew there was really nothing else he could do for Maka and no one liked being watched as they threw up, so he shut the bathroom door and went to the hall closet where earlier Maka had pulled blankets out for Liz. Grabbing a couple blankets and leaning heavily on the wall to guide him, he found his way back to the living room. There he saw Kid had passed out, so he grabbed a couch pillow, somehow lifted Kid's head and placed the pillow under it without waking him, and struggling with the blanket folds gave up and just draped the half opened blanket over Kid.

Collapsing on the couch he heard the bathroom door open and managed to raise his head slightly to see Maka. "You need a blanket or something?" She said fidgeting with the hem of her skirt, her hair was still up in a messy bun on her head, and her eyeliner was a little smudged.

 _She's still pretty cute._

"What'd you say?" Maka moved closer to the couch to hear Soul's mumblings.

"Nothing. I think." _Had he said that aloud?_ "If I sleep here where'll you sleep?" He closed his eyes the lights hadn't been so bright a minute ago.

"I'll sleep in an armchair. They recline."

Soul felt her lift the blanket from near his feet and then the small puff of air as she spread it out over him.

"Sthanks…" He mumbled, pulling at the blanket slightly to adjust it.

He felt her move around and another light wash of air as she fixed Kid's blanket before grabbing the remaining blanket at his feet, and switching the overhead light off but leaving the fan on. The last thing he heard was the slight pneumatic whoosh of the footrest on the armchair moving.

Maka lay curled in the armchair for a little while thinking. _I think he said I was pretty cute_. The thought circulated, and her brain argued back and forth like pulling petals off a daisy. She fell asleep with a " _not possible"_ ringing in her head.


	6. Chapter 6

Soul woke to the smell of coffee and the sizzle of bacon. Groaning he righted himself and looked around the room. Kid was still on the floor and their final round of Mario Kart was still on the tv. Kid's beer can pyramid was still standing on the table and Soul's failed lob was still sadly lying next to the trash can. He glanced toward the kitchen and the armchair Maka had been sleeping in. She was gone, and it was Tsubaki who was in the kitchen.

He swung his legs off the couch carefully avoiding Kid. Tsubaki smiled at him gesturing at a plate of pancakes. "Just try and be quiet." She mouthed gesturing toward Kid and haphazardly toward the back rooms.

Before he could regret the movement Soul stood quickly and made his way around Kid and into the kitchen. "G'Morning." _God I still sound drunk. Not cool._

"Good morning, Soul." Tsubaki chirped loading a plate with pancakes and bacon before handing it to him. "You like anything in your coffee?" She asked as she pulled a cup out of a cupboard and started to pour him a coffee.

"Nah. Thanks though." He shook his head trying to dispel the effects of the hangover he didn't think he'd drunk enough to have. "You don't have to serve me, Tsubaki. I can get it myself."

"Oh, that's ok. I like to do things like this." She smiled broadly. "Syrups behind the stack of plates there and if you do need cream it's in the fridge. Sugar is…" At this she looked around a little, "Ah, there it is." She grabbed a small sugar bowl with it's own lid and placed it in front of him.

"YAHOOO! I smell bacon!"

Tsubaki visibly flinched before rolling her eyes. "I have told him so many times to be quieter after nights like last night." She sighed, but Soul could tell it was an indulgent sigh the way her eyes warmed when Black Star appeared looking almost contrite.

"I forgot to not shout." He said as Tsubaki started to affectionately scold him all the while loading a plate of food.

"God, Black Star are you even human?" Kid practically collapsed in the chair next to Soul.

"Really, you can be so annoying. It's like you're the master of all things annoying." Liz sat across from Kid, Patty grumpily nodded as she sat down next to Liz.

Tsubaki placed a full plate of bacon and another one of pancakes on the table. Then came a jug of orange juice and the coffee pot with the cream from the fridge.

"I'm not a master," Black Star said around a mouth full of bacon, "I'm a God remember." He swallowed quickly and grinned before shifting as Liz threw a punch at his shoulder.

"Pass the bacon, Asshat." She smiled sweetly before throwing another punch as Black Star moved the bacon her way.

"Is it always like this after a party?" Soul leaned toward Kid to ask his question as Liz and Black Star began to trade punches at the end of the table.

"It can be worse if Maka is here." Tsubaki said as she sat at the end of the table next to Soul.

"Maka have to work then?" Kid asked as he looked critically at the pancakes to find the two most even ones.

"Yeah." Tsubaki nodded as she pulled the pancakes away from Kid, found two exact pancakes and placed them on his plate.

"How is it worse if Maka is here? And she worked after last night? Why didn't she call in?" All of Soul's questions registered his incredulity that the morning after could be any louder, and that Maka had the fortitude to work after last night's drinking binge.

"She throw up last night?" Tsubaki asked.

"Yep." Kid nodded deftly avoiding a pancake as it flew past his face.

"Ah, that's why." Tsubaki nodded knowingly. "Once she throws up she's fine." Tsubaki explained before continuing, "And if she doesn't have to work it can be pretty crazy when she wakes up hung over because of Black Star."

Liz and Black Star stop fighting for a moment when Liz chimes in, "Didn't Maka shave off Black Star's eyebrows last time?"

Soul choked on his coffee before spitting out, "She did what? Why?"

"I think it was two parties ago she did that. Around July right?" Kid looked up from his careful dissection of his pancakes.

"Yep, cause Black Star had put pink hair dye in her shampoo the party before." Patty said leaning back from the table her plate scraped clean.

"Holy shit. Do you guys prank like this often?" Soul raised an eyebrow as he glanced around the table.

"Sometimes," Kid said as he slowly began to eat his pancake pieces, which he had divided into even triangles. "But it's mostly just Maka and Black Star."

"They've been like this since they were little." Tsubaki said stirring sugar into her coffee.

Liz and Black Star had resumed eating, their fight apparently forgotten.

"So where's Maka work?" Soul addressed the question to Tsubaki, while Patty stood from the table and wandered over to collapse on the couch pulling Soul's blanket up over her head.

"Don't fall asleep Pat!" Liz called out "You can sleep in a few minutes when we head back to our apartment. Patty just groaned before flipping her sister the bird. Liz rolled her eyes, while she cleaned up hers and Patty's plates.

"Maka works at the library as a page." Tsubaki said after sipping her coffee.

"She works at the library here on campus? I thought freshman and sophomores weren't supposed to work?" Soul pushed his empty plate away and picked up his coffee.

"Well, if you ask me I think the Dean's soft on her." Liz smirked, grabbing another slice of bacon.

"He's soft on you too, Liz!" Kid huffed. "He's just known Maka since birth because of Spirit." Kid sighed a little as he sipped his own coffee. "Tsubaki, this coffee is perfect."

Tsubaki beamed at Kid and noticing the confused look on Soul's face she explained, "Spirit is Maka's father. He's worked here on campus with Kid's father, the Dean, since forever. They were partners or something."

"Kind of." Kid nodded to Tsubaki, "He actually found Spirit and Dr. Stein working together and recruited both of them."

"So, enough about that shit, Soul tell us a little about yourself." Liz interrupted. "You're under Dr. Stein's guardianship, I heard? Are you related to that crazy bastard?"

"Ha ha," Soul's laugh sounded a little forced but he continued, "No not at all. I think they just consider me a troublemaker." He grimaced, "It's the eyes, I swear." Garnering the laugh he knew it would Soul began to steer the conversation away from himself, "So, you all have known each other since…?"

"Elementary mainly. We kinda grew up in DWMA." Tsubaki's smile was one of nostalgic affection, "Liz and Patty came the latest but that was still what ten years ago?"

"Ugh, if we are dredging up that shit, I'm heading out." Liz's smile betrayed her as she stood up and stretched.

"You know you can hang out here if Patty's asleep." Tsubaki stated as she too stood and began to gather the dishes.

Black Star jumped up to help her and his chair fell back with a clatter, which surprisingly didn't wake Patty.

"Yeah, alright." Liz yawned as she moved to the living room. "I need Maka's help with Restoration Lit anyway. Wake me when she gets here."

"Speaking of homework. I need to head out. I've got a paper due tomorrow at 11:59. Who does that? Why not 11:58 or midnight? It's just so uneven." Kid grumbled as he stood and then deposited his dishes in the sink.

"Wait, you're not upset because it's due on a Sunday?" Soul scoffed as he too deposited his dishes. "I was pissed cause it was due on a Sunday and it's only the first week of classes."

"Shit, is that intro paper for Marie due tomorrow?" Liz cursed from the living room. "Damn it, there goes my nap."

"I have some slight OCD tendencies with symmetry." Kid offered as a way of explanation, "It's a process."

"Oh…" Soul mumbled. _What am I supposed to say that? It's obvious because I fucking live with you?_ "Ah, it was worse before?"

Liz's laugh rang out from the living room, "You have no idea, Scarlet."

"It's a process Liz!" Kid rolled his eyes before turning to Soul, "Anyway, I'm heading back to the dorm. Black Star will probably hang out here for awhile if you want to stay too, Soul."

"Nah, I think I'll head back with you." Soul followed Kid to the door.

"Thank you Tsubaki for the invite. Uh, will you tell Maka I said thank you as well?" Kid's last sentence was directed to the floor.

Tsubaki, who had conned Black Star into doing the dishes, smiled as she collapsed in an armchair. "Of course, we'll have to do it again soon."

Soul looked around once more, despite Liz's earlier proclamation, she was passed out with Patty on the couch, the room was still kind of a mess with cans, cups, and some spills staining the table. "Uh, you want us to help clean up before we take off? I mean Black Star's doing dishes. I think we could manage..."

"No, that's ok. I don't mind doing it." Tsubaki interrupted, "I don't have anything else to do this weekend, I just had some assigned reading to do, which I've finished. Go on, I'll see you guys Monday! Just make sure when I send Black Star home he finishes his reading!"

Kid scoffed as he closed the door behind them, "Yeah right, like that'll happen."

 **Author's Note: Sorry! I know that nothing much really happened this chapter. I'm trying to develop an idea for his story to revolve around, slice of life is fun for character development… buuut I don't think I'm doing so well with plot...**


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: There are things hinted at in this chapter that could be a possible trigger. This is just a quick reminder of the rating. Thanks for reading!**

The rest of the weekend passed by in a blur of work, exhaustion, and homework for the various Friday party crew. Maka's anxiety about starting the new science class had escalated to the point where Tsubaki banished her from the apartment Sunday evening telling her to take Harry Potter and go get a coffee. So, obediently Maka had grabbed her copy of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and traveled the short walk to the campus coffee shop and bookstore.

Though it was still a technical summer day in September, the cool northern weather was exerting an early autumn chill that crept through the light jackets and sweaters of the population. It was a cold evening with a mist that deceived pedestrians into thinking they didn't need a raincoat, yet would dampen their clothes quite thoroughly if the walk was longer than five minutes. Even though Maka's walk to the shop was a short one, her clothes were speckled with dew when she finally reached the refuge of the building. Maka shivered in the cool interior air. It seemed the university hadn't received the memo that it was cold outside and clung deftly to the idea that because it was summer the air needed to be on in all of the buildings.

Maka sighed; shaking her slightly damp hair and lamenting the fact she could never seem to stay warm. _Coffee will help._ With this deciding thought, Maka forgo the idea of simply reading in her nook until the bookstore section closed, and changed direction to the back of the shop where the cafe was located.

"Welcome to Daily Grind. What can I make for you?" The barista said without looking up. Realizing she should have recognized the familiar shock of white hair earlier, Maka tried to escape before Soul looked up.

"Pigtails. How nice to see you." Soul's smirk quirked the corner of his mouth into a lopsided grin belaying the sarcasm that seemed inherent in his voice. "What can I make ya?"

"I usually just get a black coffee. I don't really like sweet things." Self-consciously, Maka ran a hand through her hair pushing it away from her forehead and subconsciously pulling it into first one and then the other customary pigtail. She didn't normally wear it down.

"Now, that's surprising." Soul said as he turned to grab a cup from the back counter. "I had you pegged as a sweet tooth."

Maka smiled, albeit a little sarcastically, before saying, "Why because I'm so little? I remind you of a child?"

Soul turned back with a large cup in hand and a serious look on his face, "No, actually. The coffee's on me. It's over there." He said pointing at a table with a variety of coffee additions, and three coffee dispensers displaying decaf, regular, and a dark roast, all with cute punny names.

"No, let me pay..." Maka trailed off as she awkwardly tried to hand Soul a five. He studiously ignored her outstretched money, instead leaning on the cash register he casually examined her.

"So, you stressed or something?" He finally said straightening up and stretching a little. Maka snorted and busied herself by looking down to put her money back in her wallet. She blushed slightly, grateful for the apron covering Soul's torso as she knew that with his arms above his head like that his shirt was probably riding up a little.

When she could no longer pretend that her money and her wallet were occupying her full attention she looked back up and Soul was once again leaning casually on the register his red eyes assessing her reaction. So, she turned away toward the small table Soul had pointed out earlier. "What makes you say that?" she finally asked.

"I dunno know. You just seem tense. Like something's bugging you. It was just a guess." Soul followed her from behind the counter and shrugged when Maka looked up at him.

"Is that why you gave me free coffee?"

"Nah." Soul grinned. "Think of it more as a bribe for you to do my work in class tomorrow, partner." Maka's face cycled through a couple emotions before settling on something akin to outrage.

"What-tt!?" She finally spluttered out.

Soul held up his hands in mock defeat, "Ha ha ha. You should've seen your face. I could literally watch your thought progression." Soul chuckled. "I'm not kidding. It'd be awesome if you'll do my work for me but I seriously doubt Stein would've picked you if that was the case."

Maka sniffed and continued pushing on the button to the coffee dispenser, perhaps a little more forcefully than necessary.

"Hey, pushing harder doesn't make it come out any differently."

Maka simply glared at him.

 _Maybe it's time to switch tactics._ "Hey, I know. Just a second." Soul darted into a back room before returning with a cd in hand. "I made this cause Liz and I were talking music yesterday. She'd never heard of Passion Pit. But I think it'd do you good." Soul smiled holding the cd out to her.

"I don't really like music." Maka finished filling her cup and reached for a lid. He made a cd for Liz? I wonder if they're hooking up...

"What?" Soul stared at Maka as he continued to awkwardly hold the cd out to her.

"And besides you made it for Liz. If you're with her it'd be pretty weird if you gave me a cd." Maka popped the lid into place on her coffee cup and turned away. "Thanks for the coffee."

"Wait," Soul called after her quickly retreating form. "It's not like that." _Shit. That could've gone much better. Why's she think I'm with Liz? And who the hell doesn't like music?_

Maka ignored Soul's calls and went to the back of the bookstore section, where there were a few comfortable arm chairs and convenient tables to rest her drink. Then tried to bury her problems in the back of her mind as she buried herself in the fantastical world of Hogwarts.

She didn't realize she had fallen asleep til she felt someone shaking her awake.

"Hey, Maka. I have to close the shop down. If you wait I can give you a ride back to the apartments. It's pretty dark out with all the rain."

Shaking herself awake, Maka pulled her shoulder out from under Soul's hand. "I already told you I'll never ride on your bike. It's not that far. I'll be fine."

"Suit yourself." Soul shrugged and turned away. "If you change your mind, my bike is out back." Maka snorted as he walked off.

While Maka began to collect her things and place them in her bag, the lights of the shop slowly started to go out. Hurrying to the front of the store Maka escaped the encroaching darkness for the twilight of a nine o'clock September night. The mist from earlier had given way to a steady downpour.

"Of course." Maka looked up at the sky in disgust as she tugged her hood up. The walk wouldn't be too long, even though their apartment complex was the farthest out. However, the rain had turned everything around her into a grayish mass of unknown shapes looming out of the half light between the various campus buildings.

Maka wasn't really worried, as she had made this walk a thousand times before, so she wasn't really paying attention and was suddenly surprised to see the alleyway ahead of her blocked.

She'd gone through the alley to try and avoid being rained on, as the buildings pressed a little bit closer together in this area. This didn't feel like such a good idea as the figure ahead of her moved in, which effectively blocked her movement through the alley.

"Hell-llo?" Maka said her voice lilting up at the end betraying her slight fear.

The figure finally moved into a nearby streetlight and Maka wasn't sure if that was worse because she definitely didn't recognize him. The man was tall and broad. His head covered in shaggy brown hair that stuck up slightly in the front over a scowling face. He had scruff on his jaws and a tattoo over his left eyebrow. Maka couldn't quite make it out.

"What's a little girly like you doing out so late in the dark?" A growling voice slithered through the darkness and Maka could feel the words caressing her skin.

Shivering Maka gripped her left arm painfully with her right trying to control her fear. She then jutted her chin out defiantly before saying, "I'm just heading home. My friends know I should be back soon. I texted them right before I left."

"No, you didn't dah-ling." He said drawing out the "r" into an intimate "h" that seemed to hang in the air drawing the space closer. He continued, "I saw you leave the coffee shop. No one knows you're here but me and God." He had moved closer as he said these things; his voice growing ever more possessive, and with each word Maka's grip on her own arm became tighter and tighter.

Coming to a decision Maka tried to subtly move her bag across her body freeing her legs slightly. At the same time she replaced her arms readying them for a strike upwards. To distract the man from her movements she let out a wavering, "back the fuck off."

The man was close enough now that Maka could see his tattoo in the half-light. Throwing his head back he barked out a laugh as he continued his slow progression. "C'mon Pigtails, let's have a little fun." His leer sunk into her skin swimming through her blood vessels and tightening her already tense muscles. Maka waited, _just a half step more._ When Maka thought he was close enough she threw the palm of her hand up forcefully at his nose.

She heard a satisfying crunch as his nose caved beneath her palm and she turned quickly back the way she had come and began sprinting out of the alley.

She reached the main campus thoroughfare before hearing any sounds of pursuit. _Don't look back. Don't look back. Don't look back._ Ignoring her brain screaming at her, Maka risked a quick look back. The man was out of the alley and tearing down the road toward her. With blood pouring from his nostrils and covering his shirt, he looked terrifying and slightly insane.

Maka tried to increase her speed but her boots slipped unsuccessfully on the slick concrete. Suddenly, a roaring sound came to her attention and the sobs that were beginning in Maka's chest and further compressing her breathing held off as Soul appeared from a side street ahead of her.

"Haul ass, Maka!" He shouted desperately motioning her toward him in the downpour. Reaching his bike, she quickly hopped on, wrapped her arms around Soul's torso, and tucked her head into his shoulders to avoid the rain drops that began to pelt against them as Soul took off.

The downpour struck quickly at the pair on the bike and soaked through Maka's leggings. Her torso and head were protected by Soul's back. She couldn't imagine what was happening to Soul in front of her or how he could see through his helmet but she just gripped him more tightly and hoped for the best. They reached the apartment building right before Maka started shivering from the cold, but not before she had started shivering from the shock of her encounter.

 _No one knows you're here but me and God. No one knows you're here. No one knows. Me and God. No one knows…_

"-Ka, hello?"

Shaking herself Maka realized that not only had the motorcycle stopped moving but that she was no longer on it and Soul had navigated her into the entryway of the apartment.

"Hey? I said do you have your keys? I can walk you up." Maka heard what Soul had said this time, but it was with a numb acquiescence that she pulled the keys from her bag and opened the interior door. Now that the adrenaline was wearing off, Maka's whole entire being began to shake and her brain had effectively shut off any communication that involved an idea separate from walking upstairs. She didn't even protest when a dripping wet Soul followed her in and started directing her through the halls to the stairway.

"C'mon. Let's get you upstairs. Tsubaki will know what to do and we can call someone from your apartment."

Maka's ascent through the stairwell began a mocking rendition of madness in her mind as every step upward seemed to shrink the space around her until she needed to be out of the stairwell. With a sudden determination she began bolting up the stairs.

"Maka! Hey, Maka! Slow down!"

 _Shit. She's going to collapse._ Soul took off after her before easily catching her on the second floor landing. "Hey, Maka. Maka stop." Soul gently reached out and pulled Maka back from racing up the remaining two flight of stairs. Surprisingly, she let him hold her there. They were both soaking wet, Soul especially so, but instinctively he knew Maka needed to not think about what had just happened and so he pulled her close wrapping his arms around her skinny body. Her mind was blocking the incident for now, and would probably process it much better after she reviewed what happened. For now though, she needed something to be angry about and something she could control.

Before he thought too much further about the consequences, Soul stepped back from Maka slightly, gently placed a hand under her chin tilting her face up towards his, and leaning down toward her brushed a tentative kiss on her lips. Oddly, instead of pulling away Maka twined her arms around his neck and began to kiss him back. Backing her up against the doorway onto the second floor, Soul began to kiss Maka in earnest. He could feel her thin body shaking slightly as it unconsciously continued to process its shock. He knew eventually her brain would catch up and…

Just as these thoughts crossed through Soul's mind, Maka stopped kissing him. She pulled back as much as she could being pressed against the door and with one of the hands that was twined through his hair she pulled violently on the back of his head. Soul caught on quickly, stepping away from Maka and placing his hands in his pockets to show he understood. Soul watched as a variety of emotions flitted across Maka's conflicted face. The hand that had been used to tug his hair was still raised, as if to slap him, but the other was lowered and pressed slightly on her lips as if unsure what had just transpired. Finally, she lowered her hands and with a whispered, "We should go..." she moved past him and hurried up the stairs.

 **Author's Note: Thank you to all those favoriting and following! It really makes me happy. (Insert grinning emoticon) :)**


	8. Chapter 8

Maka yawned and blinked a few times trying to force herself to pay attention. The history professor was dutifully droning on about the repercussions of the Civil War, and though Maka normally would've found the subject fascinating, her mind remained focused on other more recent events, while her body reminded her that a certain amount of REM sleep was necessary to function. Especially, without coffee.

Maka was grateful she shared the class with Tsubaki and glanced to her left where Tsubaki was easily taking notes from the lecture, while fact checking in the chapter at the same time. Maka didn't normally like to rely on other's notes, but today she made an exception as she allowed her mind to continue its disorderly examination of yesterday's events.

After the incident with Soul, _which I'm not thinking about,_ Maka had convinced him to go back to the dorms. Convinced... meaning she had promised she would tell Tsubaki, _which only would've worried her,_ and that she would report the incident to campus security _, which I'm planning to do… I just don't want everyone to know._ So all in all, she had lied completely and then finished her night with a good amount of guilt added to her restless mind.

Maka knew that she needed to tell someone about what had happened so something worse didn't happen to a different girl. However, she also didn't want everyone coming up and asking, "Are you ok? I heard what happened. That must have been terrifying!" with their half-hearted sincere smiles as they sifted through what she said to find worthwhile gossip. She also didn't want her friends to worry, and she definitely did not want her dad to know. Maka massaged her temples with just the thought of what would happen if her dad were to find out.

"Maka? Class is over. I was going to meet Black Star and Liz at the Grind if you want to tag along? I know you don't have anything until science later today." Tsubaki smiled, "I know you're stressed about starting the class a week late, but I don't want you to overthink it."

"Thanks Tsu, but I think I'm just going to head to the library." Maka returned her friend's smile, grateful Tsubaki had no idea of the real stress that was making her anxious. "You go ahead, I'll catch you guys at lunch."

Tsubaki shrugged, "If you change your mind you know where we'll be."

Maka nodded and waved her friend off. Collecting the notebook that she had only been able to doodle in for the past hour and a half, Maka shoved it in her bag with her other books and followed Tsubaki out of the classroom. She knew that she was avoiding dealing with certain things, but she wasn't sure what she would do about them yet, and she knew she needed to examine them in a place where she felt comfortable. The library was Maka's safe zone and as such she would use it to either avoid or process the thoughts in her head. Tsubaki turned left and went toward the doors leading directly out of the basement to outside, whereas Maka turned right and followed the hall for a bit to the stairs that led up to the interior of the building.

Once upstairs Maka's body automatically followed a path through the maze of hallways out the back door to the well hidden library building. There was really no rhyme or reason to why the library building was nearly invisible on the campus, except for the fact that it had somehow been placed on the back half of the lesser traveled walkways. The building itself was beautiful. The building was made of old stonework and had huge windows with large separating panes of glass, which would split the sunshine into varied shadows inside. It had been one of the first building on the campus and had a myriad collection of books, magazines, and various other artifacts that the university had dumped there since its inception. As Maka walked through the door she breathed deeply, reveling in the smell of old books tucked lovingly onto shelves and simply waiting patiently for someone to rediscover them. The hushed whispers and careful tread of the library patrons completed the experience of relative anonymity and obscure adventure awaiting. It's a difficult feeling to convey to others and was the reason why Maka never forced her friends to come to the library. There is no way to create that feeling in others, it was something they would either get or wouldn't, and Maka liked to pretend that her friends would easily follow the same feeling rather than be disappointed by the reality that none of them loved books as much as she did.

Maka didn't work that day, as Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays were her busiest days for classes, but she knew none of the staff would mind if she shelf-read for awhile. No one liked shelf reading; it gave you a crick in your neck staring at the spines of the books and checking to make sure they were in the correct order down to the last decimal point. The only thing that Maka liked about it is when you were able to find a book out of place and return it to it's rightful destination. It was a rewarding feeling somehow. She nodded at the librarians on duty as she quietly made her way back to the autobiographies. She had started to shelf read these on Saturday when she worked, and she knew the mind-numbing simpleness of the task would be a useful distraction to help her organize her thoughts.

There were some problems that she needed to sort through her head, preferably before she went to class and had to face one of the said problems. However, the more pressing issue should be what she was going to do about the incident that had occurred in the alley. Maka knew reporting the whole thing was required, yet she wasn't really sure she wanted to let other people get involved. She was used to taking care of things herself, and generally wasn't inclined to count on others for support. Maka sighed as she moved a few of the misplaced Kennedy biographies around. Maybe it wouldn't matter if she kept it to herself. Nothing had really happened… and the guy was probably smart enough not to try something here again.

"Tsubaki said you might be here."

Maka glanced up from the floor to see Soul peering around the edge of the bookshelves.

"I came here to be alone." Maka said more harshly than she intended so she softened her voice a little before continuing, "I'll be in class. Don't worry."

Soul shook his head before carefully leaning against one of the bookshelves near Maka. "I didn't peg you for one who was going to skip class anyway. I came here because for some reason Tsubaki thinks the only reason you're nervous is because of class." Soul raised an eyebrow skeptically while Maka conspicuously busied herself with the books on the bottom shelf as her neck reddened slightly. "I was under the impression when I left you outside your apartment that you would be talking with Tsubaki about what happened. Have you even told anyone?"

The atmosphere of quiet relaxation quickly dissipated into one of nervous tension as Maka completely ignored Soul's question.

"Hey, this isn't something you can just ignore." Soul said as he squatted on his haunches next to Maka. He tried to catch her eye but she continued to ignore him, moving her hand slowly across the spines of the books she was subconsciously mouthing the call numbers as her fingers brushed the spines. "Maka, I'm serious."

"I understand the severity of the situation." Maka stood abruptly, turning away as she walked toward the stairs leading to the exit. "You don't have to worry about me. I can handle it myself."

Soul snorted and followed her to the exit. "Whatever you say, Pigtails." He passed her, "I'll see you in class." He said as he quickly descended the steps leading out of the stuffy, cramped library and completely missing the terrified look on Maka's face as she froze at the top of the stairs.

* * *

Sitting on the uncomfortable lab stool, Soul glanced at the clock with growing frustration. It had only been an hour since he had found Maka in the library, and she had said she would be in class, yet class had started 20 minutes ago and she hadn't showed. Luckily, Stein wasn't well known for his punctuality and he had yet to appear as well. His T.A. Marie was trying to get the classes attention but everyone was studiously ignoring her.

Unconsciously, Soul's fingers began tapping a rhythm on the lab table. He continued to glance around the room before finally noticing Liz frantically motioning him over to her and Death's lab table. Sighing, Soul rose from the table and slouched his way over to the duo.

"Where the fuck is Maka?" Liz hissed at him.

"How the fuck would I know?" Soul shrugged.

"Because Tsubaki said that she told you that Maka was in the library." Liz stood from her stool and began jabbing her finger into Soul's chest though her voice remained relatively level as she continued, "As far as I'm concerned, that means you should know."

Soul shifted back a step and and his face became enigmatic. "Yeah, I did see her at the library and she said she'd be here. Why don't you fucking call her instead of yelling at me?"

"I have." Liz said, and her voice finally betrayed the tension her earlier finger jabbing had been hiding.

"Maka hasn't missed a class since her mom left." Kid said finally looking up from the table. "This really isn't like her." A frown creased Kid's forehead. "Did something happen?"

"It's not really my place to say and I don't know the whole story." Soul's face remained closed off, and he shrugged noncommittally.

"I don't care if you swore over your first born child's life that you wouldn't tell a single person. You're going to tell us what happened." Liz had finally lost control and though her voice had maintained the same level of volume, the venom it contained had risen steadily with each word thrown at Soul's face.

"Jesus Christ. I don't even know exactly what happened."

"Soul," Kid looked carefully at the clock and the door to the classroom before continuing, "Anything you know is more than what Liz and I know. We just want to make sure Maka is ok."

Soul mimicked Kid's recent glances, the clock showed that only a few moments had passed and the door showed no signs of Stein entering any time soon. "All I know is that Maka was almost attacked, if not worse, last night walking home from the Grind. I picked her up on my bike as some crazy ass dude was chasing after her. I dropped her off at her apartment," _and kissed her_ the thought skittered across Soul's mind but he was able to continue with only the slightest hesitation, _"_ and she told me that she would talk with Tsubaki and report the incident. I assumed she had reported it, but Tsubaki had no idea about why Maka was upset. So, I went to find Maka in the library and she told me she'd be in class and she'd take care of it. That's all I know." Soul shrugged and glanced at the door once more just in time to see Stein's shadow in the glass.

"Sorry for the delay, students. I was preoccupied with a dissection that Professor Medusa is performing. It is really the most interesting experiment…"

Before Stein could continue, his T.A. Marie dashed forward and a whispered debate began between the two of them. The students could only hear snatches of it, and Soul, Liz and Kid ignored it.

"She was almost attacked?!" Liz squeaked out.

At the same time Kid said, "Something worse may have happened?" Frowning heavily at the floor Kid stood suddenly, "Soul, partner with Liz and cover for me. Stein won't notice until the end of class when he remembers to take attendance. I think I know where Maka may be."

 **Author's Note:** Sorry about the delay. I have a lot of life things going on and I'm going to try and continue to post often. I have a direction for this story now. Hopefully it isn't too obvious. I can't guarantee how often I'll post as I am starting a new job and a new school program. But I'm excited to see what will happen here and hopefully everyone else is too. Thanks for the reviews and follows! I promise it's going somewhere eventually!


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note:** Just wanted to issue a general apology for the time it took to write this chapter. I am swamped with many different things at this time, and I don't know when I will have time to continue. I thank any of you that do take the time to read. I am planning on going somewhere, but again this is mostly just cause I like to write and like these characters. I hope you can enjoy the story as it putters along. Thanks again, all.

 **Chapter 9**

The old elementary playground had been closed off when they built the new school the year Maka and entered 7th grade. At first Maka's group had been somewhat nostalgically angry that the school was to be torn down and the nicer playground equipment would be moved to the new school. They were also somewhat angry, as only twelve and thirteen years olds can be, that they now had a new school they had to share with "the little kids." Their anger had carried through until after the deconstruction of the old school had finished and they found out that some of the old wooden and metal playground equipment was to remain on the grounds.

The location of the old school grounds had always been inconvenient and contributed to the reasons for a new building that shared campus space with the middle and high school. The playground itself, or what was left of it, was set far back from even the old school and was surrounded by a healthy dose of trees and shrubbery. Thus the place became a hideout and a refuge for the group. They turned the old wooden slide combination jungle gym into a makeshift clubhouse with some corrugated tin siding and plywood they stole from the junkyard. With some shoddy craftsmanship by Black Star they expanded the clubhouse with various bits and pieces from the rest of the old equipment. It was strictly theirs.

Maka knew that she shouldn't be skipping class. She also knew that her irrational reaction to Soul calling her _Pigtails_ was simply that... irrational. She knew that Soul wasn't like the man that had chased her, and his name calling was entirely different. Still, she shivered. After the library incident, Maka had every intention of simply going to class and continuing to pretend that everything was fine. However, her feet had betrayed her, and instead she found herself walking to the bus line, which had led her to their abandoned hideout from so many years ago.

Time had not been kind to their half-assed workmanship. The tin had rusted even further and much of it had flaked away. The added bits of wooden structure had either fallen off or were leaning haphazardly toward any direction but the original. Maka sat gingerly on one of the only swings that they hadn't salvaged or the weather hadn't broken. Surprisingly, the creaking swing held. Maka rocked slightly in the swing, not with any real intention of moving, simply because the swing was there and it gave her something to do.

The tree line was a depressing mix of half naked trees with their limbs stretched to the leaden cloud covered sky. A breeze kicked up, blowing a mixture of red and brown leaves through the yard and knocking more leaves from the nearly barren branches. The whole environment seemed to reflect Maka's mood of dismal uncertainty. She sighed heavily, closed her eyes and leaned back in the swing. With her arms holding her weight and her legs held up as a counterbalance, Maka enjoyed the feeling of the blood rushing to her head, alongside the feeling of weightlessness. She stayed there for a moment before opening her eyes, and when she finally did open them she was presented an upside down view of Kid leaning against the swing support.

Maka nearly toppled out of the swing with how quickly she pulled herself upright.

"Hey, Maka. I thought you might be here."

Maka hurriedly stood and brushed at her skirt, while tugging at her shirt with the other hand til everything felt straightened out. _Thank god I wore leggings today._ "Kid, uhhh. I… Ummm. Why aren't you in class?"

"I could ask you the same question." Kid said as he straightened from his position against the pole. Maka began to back up as Kid started to step toward her. As their funny little half steps took them closer to the old jungle gym, he continued, "I was worried about you. Your phone was off, and it's unlike you to miss class."

"Well some of us can't be perfect all the time." Maka spat the words at Kid, who flinched but generally ignored them as he continued his slow steps toward her. "I can skip class too, you know." Maka gesticulated toward the somber gray clouds, "It was just such a nice day, and I didn't want to miss it…" By this time Maka realized they had reached the dilapidated wooden jungle gym, which was surprisingly smaller than she remembered. Kid was actually taller than the top floor of wood. Kid was also now directly in front of her, and while Maka was distracted he gently reached forward and quickly pulled her the last few inches into a tight hug.

Maka tucked her head under his chin and let him hold her. She tried to muffle her sobs by burying her face into his sweater. When her hands unintentionally clenched the back of his sweater, she felt him pull her closer.

"It's ok, Maka. It's ok." Kid crooned softly against her hair.

Sniffling into his shirt she muffled, "I just felt so weak."

Maka pulled back when she heard Kid snort.

"Excuse me?" Her tone of voice registered her disbelief at Kid's less than satisfactory answer. She dropped her hands and pushed at his chest, "Leggo of me. I'm fine. I don't know why I even…"

"Maka, Maka, wait." Kid said refusing to let go of her.

She pushed against his chest trying to break away from his hold, but the angle was wrong and she was too close.

Kid lowered his head, laying it on her shoulder so his breath was tickling the small hairs in front of her ear. She heard him whisper, "Maka, I wasn't laughing at you." Relaxing slightly, she let her hands fall from the position on his chest and slowly she leaned once more into his hug.

"Then... what were you laughing at?" Her question created an invisible space between them, of which Kid's next answer would determine the distance.

Maka felt Kid shift slightly closer until his lips were brushing her earlobe as he spoke, "I was laughing at the idea of you ever being considered weak."

Maka shivered slightly, and she wasn't sure if it was because of the decisive way Kid had explained himself or it was because she knew if she were to turn her head her lips would brush Kid's. Suddenly, Maka realized how close she and Kid really were. The space her question had created was gone, and she was wrapped in the arms of the boy she had been crushing on for years. Now it was Maka's turn to snort, and she felt Kid lift his head to look at her. Her lips quirked into a half smile as she created just enough space to pull her and Kid backwards onto the wooden platform of the jungle gym.

Within this slight burst of courage, Maka pushed Kid back against one of the makeshift plywood and tin walls, where he obligingly sat, only his raised brows giving a hint towards his confusion. Sitting in front of him between his legs, Maka leaned back against his chest and pulled his arms back around her. She heard rather than saw his head thump back against the wall, as he settled into the position.

"Remember when we built this?" Maka started, gesturing slightly around Kid's arms.

"Yeah, it feels so long ago." Kid murmured.

"Do you remember one of the first 'parties' we had in here?" Maka snickered, "we thought we were so badass, with our energy drinks and stolen cigarettes."

Kid laughed with her, "Yeah, Black Star stole them out of Stein's desk." His laugh rumbled through his chest, and Maka relaxed further into his hold.

"That was the time you kissed Liz…" Maka's voice trailed off, and she sighed.

"Well," Kid's voice held an uncomfortable note, "it was a game. Black Star, would've… I mean I didn't… Shit, Maka." He pulled her tighter. "I didn't know you wanted…"

"Still want…" Maka said tilting her head backwards.

Kid lifted his head slowly from the wall. His eyes seemed to be searching Maka's face for permission. She lifted one eyebrow challengingly, before snaking her arms under his and pulling his face down to meet hers. "Please?" She whispered, and with the sound of the 'p' and the 'e' her lips brushed lightly against his.

In return Kid teasingly whispered back, "Are you sure?" And with his 'r's' and the 'you', his lips imitated her previous gesture moving softly against hers.

"Yes."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

There is a certain amount of thought that goes into kissing someone. Noses, tongues, and lips all play a part in the awkwardness that is a first kiss. Maka knew this acutely, as the angle she and Kid sat in was not convenient for kissing. Maka also had thought about this kiss for quite a long time, and though Kid's lips weren't too wet or too dry and their noses fit together (even at the odd angle) for a second her brain took her back to a very different kiss with a very different boy.

Maka shivered a little with that thought, and Kid stopped kissing her.

"Is everything ok? Do you want me to stop?" He asked, with a lopsided half-worried grin on his face.

Maka shifted slightly and Kid opened his arms, letting her turn around so she was still sitting between his legs only now she faced him her legs tucked under her. "No, I don't want to stop." She lay her head on his shoulder before skimming her lips over his collar bones. Kid's arms wrapped even more tightly around her, pulling her off balance and causing her to shift in closer to his lap.

"Maka, I…" Kid groaned softly, as her skimming lips stopped at the hollow of his right collarbone and she nibbled lightly on his neck.

"Yes, Kid?" Maka knew her words whispered over his skin just right because suddenly Kid's hands slid down to her waist and his fingers were tugging at the bottom of her shirt. "Oh, is that what you want?" Maka sat back slowly, pulling away enough to have a little bit of room but not so far that Kid couldn't reach her. She bit her bottom lip, and her fingers found Kid's hands still on her waist and helped him gently tug her shirt over her head.

In the soft semi-darkness of the cloudy day, Maka's light skin looked almost translucent. Her black skirt and leggings accented this, and her bra was a lacy, pink, t-shirt bra that fit her just right giving her small bust the slightest boost and her skin a light rosy cast.

 _Thank god, I wore this bra today._ Though Maka wasn't sure it mattered, and started to self consciously cross her arms because there was a pause and Kid hadn't moved.

His hands had fallen to his sides with Maka's shirt, but when she had started to self consciously shift to cover herself he reached out and his fingers skimmed softly along her stomach.

She felt his fingers shaking slightly on her hips, as if unsure she was real. Tentatively, his fingers climbed her stomach pausing under her ribs before moving up toward the bottom of her bra. They circled around her back brushing lightly over her exposed skin.

Maka in turn shifted closer, and began tugging at Kid's sweater. He always wore a sweater with collared button up shirts underneath. Today was a simple black sweater with a single white stripe across the breast bone. Kid was pretty straightforward, in high school Liz had finally convinced him to change in his black dress pants for black jeans. Maka had been so grateful for this change, as the jeans were tighter but also made Kid less formal and loosened his rigid demeanor he had carried since middle school.

Kid seemed to understand what Maka wanted and shifted back just enough to pull his sweater over his head. He began to unbutton his shirt, but Maka reached out a hand to stop him. Instead she pulled his arms around her and she began to slowly unbutton his shirt.

When Maka reached the last button her fingers danced up Kid's chest pushing his shirt open and off his shoulders. Maka's hands lingered on Kid's shoulders before trailing down his back, feeling the way his muscles curved without the cloth that usually covered them.

Kid's hands were making lazy circles on her back that made Maka's skin tingle. Then suddenly, he pulled her close and completely on his lap. She could feel him tight against his own jeans and she squeaked unintentionally. Kid didn't seem to hear as he was busy skimming his lips over her neck and to her ear.

"What do you want, Maka?" His voice had lost its tremble from earlier and the tone set off tingles in a completely different area than before. She turned quickly to press her lips to Kid's, biting lightly on his upper lip before she felt his tongue press against them.

Maka felt herself sink further into Kid's arms as their kiss intensified. They were wrapped tightly together and Maka leaned back so that Kid would be forced to lay on top of her. Sensing her intent Kid let her fall back gently onto the dusty wood of the playhouse then followed slowly his eyes drinking in her pale skin.

Their hips met and Maka bucked slightly against Kid, wrapping her legs and arms around him before pulling his face down to meet hers. Stopping him just slightly from her lips she whispered, "I want you, Kid."

"MAKA! My baby, where are you?! Don't worry, Papa is here now! Come out and talk to Papa about why you skipped Dr. Stein's class. Was he mean to you? Were the other students mean?"

"Holy shit... This is not happening." Maka whispered against Kid's lips once again, though with distinctly less enthusiasm.

"Don't worry, sweetie! Papa traced your phone cause he knew you'd want him to find you!"

"Shit, shit, shit. Kid get up. Move! You need to hide! Where's my shirt? Oh, shit, shit, shit." Maka desperately pushed Kid, who had frozen in place and started frantically searching for her shirt. "Kid, I can't find it. I'm wearing your sweater. Just stay here. I'll probably have to go home with him. Uh, text me please?" Maka said all this while frantically pulling Kid's sweater over her head and then kissing him quickly on the lips. Then she hopped off the play set and with a shh motion toward Kid she turned and walked toward the sound of Spirit's voice.


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: So, thank you to those that continue to read and follow this story. It's a work in progress for sure. I'm sorry for the delay in posting and I'll try to keep it more regular. Hopefully you all enjoy what I do get posted. Anyway, there is some heavy stuff coming up, and I forgot to do a warning last time. But the story is rated "M" so those themes are present. Hope you all enjoy this chapter. Thanks everyone. Enjoy...**

 **Chapter 11**

Though Liz was smart, Soul struggled with the lesson and was thankful when it finally ended and they were dismissed. He had wanted to talk to Stein after the lesson finished, but some weird red-headed man had come in from the hall and started to pester Stein with incessant questions about "his sweet daughter." Shrugging it off, he avoided his classmates stares (many were still trying to figure him out) and Liz's persistent throat clearing as he snatched his backpack from near his desk before vaulting over the last few rows of desks to escape out the back of the classroom.

"Goddamn it, Soul." He heard Liz exclaim as he opened the back door of the classroom. He turned and gave her a saucy wink before pulling the shitty ass headband that her sister had given him out of his backpack and pulling it down low on his forehead. He stuck his tongue out and he disappeared through the doorway.

He knew that if nothing else he needed to tell Stein about the incident that had happened to Maka, especially with the rumors circulating through the staff about his transfer here. The last thing he needed was more suspicion cast on him, or to go back home. Soul shuddered involuntarily at the thought. He needed to not think, but unfortunately all of his musical equipment was at home. He had been banished without much more than the clothes on his back. _I think BlackStar has a crappy acoustic that I might be able to borrow. Hell, he probably wouldn't even notice if I took it._ Soul shook his head at this thought, he needed to stop thinking like that because it tended to get him into trouble.

Pulling out his phone as he walked down the hall toward the exit to the dorms, he sent a text to BlackStar.

 _Yo, BlackStar. Can I borrow your guitar?_

Shortly after his phone gave a quick buzz.

 _Your god demands to know who this is!_

 _*BlackStar rulzz*_

 _Fucker, it's Soul. I know you saved my number. Can I borrow your guitar or not?_

 _Jesus, what got ur panties in a twist? U can borrow it. But I dont think any1 is in the room. Ill be there after class 8._

 _*BlackStar rulzz*_

 _No worries. I can get in._

 _Whatever works dude._

 _*BlackStar rulzz*_

Though he could be annoying, BlackStar was sometimes quite intuitive and that's why Soul liked him. He knew he wouldn't ask too many questions, but if Soul had needed him to ask questions then they'd be the right ones. Not that shitty, "Well, how do you feel" crap, or the "I'm sorry, I can help with whatever you need," but then never actually be there when you need them. Soul also knew that BlackStar left his window unlocked and sometimes even open because he liked the cold. So, the only issue would be getting to the third floor window that was not near the fire escape. Soul sighed, he hated when this happened during the day.

Throughout the text exchange, Soul's feet had carried him across the small part of campus to the boys' dorms. Putting his phone away and pulling his key card out of his wallet, he let himself into the building. Even though the elevator in the dorms worked, Soul avoided it and headed toward the staircase. He was halfway up the stairs to his and Kid's room on the second floor when his phone buzzed again.

 _DUDE! Kid did it!_

 _*BlackStar rulzz*_

The message flashed on the screen of Soul's outdated iPhone. Soul felt his heart jump for a second. _Maka and Kid had…_ then gaining control of his brain and ultimately his heart, Soul filed it away. He was a good friend first and foremost, it's why he got into trouble so often. _If Kid and Maka are together then that's it,_ his brain said with a determination that he didn't really feel. His limbs felt leaden and his head ached like he hadn't slept in days, he needed to get this shit out of his system, and the only way he knew how to do that was to play. Renewing his steps he climbed the last few stairs to the second floor and angrily pulled on the hallway door. No one was in the hall and he mumbled nonsense to himself as he fumbled with his key card to get into his room.

"Fucking shit… That's all this is... I don't need... And Stein should…" various threads of vitriol spouted in mumbled half breaths as he finally got the key card to work and shoved his way into the room. Generally, he was very conscious of Kid's effort to maintain a coherent balance in the common area, but today he dropped his stuff onto the worn out brown and grey flannel couch instead of walking back to his room like he usually did. He shoved his key card back into his wallet and then the wallet into his pocket before turning abruptly and walking back through the doorway. He was pretty sure he could mess with the key card to get into BlackStar's room, but that would take longer than he wanted. Instead, he knew there was a door to the roof access that was easier to pick than trying to reprogram the key cards. Then from the roof he was pretty sure it was only a 5 foot drop to the window ledges on the third floor. They were thin ledges but he was mostly confident that he would be able to lower himself onto it. If not, BlackStar's room was on the back of the dorms, and there were a few bushes below, it wouldn't hurt too badly if he fell.

These thoughts carried him through the hall and the stairwell and sooner than he imagined he was on the roof. He knew that this really wasn't the best thought out plan he had ever made, but the siren sound of the BlackStar's shitty guitar was stronger than any common sense he may have had left.

The top of the roof was a gray landscape of pebbles and broken beer bottles. The clouds hung low and heavy in the sky with an ever present threat of a autumn rain hanging in the air. Soul breathed deeply and the damp air settled in his lungs, a lingering mixture of wet earth, partially rotten leaves, and the elusive bit of cold that comes right before a storm. The low rumble of thunder brought Soul back to the moment and he headed in the direction of BlackStar's room.

* * *

"Maka, my baby. What were you thinking?" Maka's father asked impatiently, ushering her toward his car.

"Papa." Maka sighed. "It's fine. It's not a big deal. Instead let's talk about you stalking me after I specifically asked you not to use the find my iPhone app unless it was an emergency."

"Sweetie, I'm insulted." Her father paused. "We both know that something is wrong because my darling daughter doesn't skip class."

 _Shit. What do I say?_ Maka winced and tried to formulate a good excuse or some type of counter argument. _Would he believe it was a dare? Could I get away with that?_

"You said you wanted me to have a normal college experience. This is part of it. It was a dare. It's fine." Maka brushed past her father and opened the passenger car door. "Instead, let's talk about how you know I wasn't in class a mere 5 minutes after class ended." Maka smirked while her father crossed in front of the car. She knew he couldn't see her, and the smirk had slipped onto her face before she could control it. She was trying to be more intentional with her interactions with her dad, which meant being aware of petty reactions like smirks. She quickly composed her face as her father opened the driver's side door and slid into the seat next to her.

"Yes, I said I want you to have a normal college experience." Her father said pushing his bangs back and running his fingers through his long red hair with one hand, while his other started the car. "But, I also knew you were starting a new class today." He turned his head partially toward her before continuing. "A class for older students, and I knew that you were starting the class late." He paused, and Maka crossed her arms but nodded he could continue. "When I signed into the professor's portal for Stein's class, his TA had noted that you were absent for the attendance list. I was just…. worried. You hadn't missed since…."

"It's fine. I'm sorry. Let's just not talk about it this time. I won't do it again."

Maka felt rather than saw her father sigh, but she ignored it. Instead she buckled herself in and lay her head on the window effectively ignoring the rest of the trip home.

* * *

"Well, I've had better ideas." Soul said aloud to himself as he hung from the edge of the rooftop over the ledge he believed to be BlackStar's. He had miscalculated slightly and the windows were further down than he had predicted. At a mere 5 feet he would've been able to find the right part of the roof and simply lower himself onto the ledge, but at nearly 7 ish feet he wasn't really able to do that. He knew at 6ft, it was really only a foot drop to the ledge. However, the ledge was barely wide enough to hold one of his feet, and if he landed wrong and his balance was thrown off… well it wasn't going to be a pleasant fall into the bushes. Before he could really evaluate the plan further (and pull himself back up) he let go of the roof top.

* * *

"So! What was it like?" Maka could tell that Tsubaki had been dying to ask her that question since she had arrived nearly an hour ago. Her father had taken her back to the dorm and then stayed and stayed and stayed…

"Oh, you know Papa. It's impossible to get him to leave." Maka said deliberately avoiding the subject she knew Tsu wanted to talk about.

"No, not Professor Spirit." Tsu paused, "Sorry, it's a habit." She shrugged and then continued. "But we both know I don't mean Professo- I mean the ride home with your dad." Tsu raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow and her smile widened.

"How do you know this already!" Maka threw her hands up in the air, but her smile must have encouraged Tsubaki.

"Come on Maka! Tell me!"

At that moment the door slammed open hitting the wall dramatically. Liz stood in the doorway her face a mixture of emotions. Maka tried to parse out the strongest ones, but Liz quickly seemed to control herself and ran toward Maka and grabbed her in a huge hug.

"You did it! Or he did! I'm so happy!" Liz squealed as she pulled back from the hug.

Though she caught a flash of something cross Liz's face at the end of her exclamations, Maka smiled at her friend's responses.

"So, I guess everyone knows then?" She laughed. "I should've known you all would find out somehow." Maka stopped short. "Just do not tell my dad. He doesn't need to know and if he finds out I will die." Then she looked at Tsubaki, "But I will kill you first, Tsu. You're the only one that would give it away."

"Professo- I mean your dad is just such a good guy and he just wants to reconn-"

"Do you want to talk about me and my dad, or do you want me to tell you what kissing Kid was like?" Maka grinned as Tsubaki quickly dropped the subject and nodded making a zipped lip motion she gestured for Maka to continue.

"I say this calls for a celebration." Liz stated as she moved toward the fridge and began rummaging around. "Do you guys seriously have no alcohol?"

"Liz, we drank it all just the other night." Maka rolled her eyes and pursed her lips as she mother henned. "Plus, it's a school night. We really shouldn't."

"It's called Thirsty Thursday for a reason, Maka." Liz stood up, leaned on the island counter, and flipped Maka off before waving her hand at her to continue.

"Whatever," Maka huffed. "Anyway, so I guess everyone freaked out because I missed one class." She scoffed, "and-"

"Speaking of, why weren't you in class, Miss Mother?" Liz stopped Maka again. Liz's face had no hint of malice, just an open curiosity.

"It was just for the experience. You know?" Maka knew that lying to her friends wasn't going to help the situation, but she didn't want to bring the mood down, and she really didn't want to think about it anymore.

"I see." Liz said, but the same flash of emotion Maka had glimpsed earlier flashed across Liz's face. "It just seemed unusual I guess, what with your phone being off and everything."

"Yeah," Maka hedged. "I thought Papa wouldn't be able to use the app. I was wrong obviously."

Liz snickered seemingly back to normal. "So, Spirit shows-"

"Professor Spirit!" Tsu appeared shocked at Liz's disregard for the title.

"Seriously, we have known the man forever. Just cause we go to school here doesn't mean I'm going to call him Professor. I don't even have any classes with him!" Liz laughed. "Only you would encourage his craziness, Tsu." She winked at Tsu before turning her head back to Maka. "So, _Professor_ Spirit shows up where exactly in this story? And what exactly happened?" Liz's emphasis on the professor causes Maka to laugh and Tsu to sniff disdainfully.

"Well, here's what happened…"

* * *

The ledge was solid beneath Soul's feet and he breathed a sigh of relief. Somehow this whole crazy scheme had actually worked. He peered through the window, which as he had guessed was partially open. It was definitely BlackStar's room. For one, the room was a complete disaster. Two, there were some very interesting boudior pictures of Tsubaki on the walls and unfortunately also some of BlackStar. _Oh my god, I did not need to see that. But I also kinda want to take a picture for blackmail later._ Taking his phone out, Soul snapped a picture of one where BlackStar was staring directly at the camera, wearing nothing but a tube sock.

 _I never understood these types of pictures. And how the hell did they afford these?_ Shaking his head and continuing to avert his eyes from the pictures of Tsubaki, Soul looked around the room for BlackStar's acoustic. Seeing it tucked away in the corner he quickly grabbed it and made his way out of the apartment. There was one more place he needed to stop before he went back to his and Kid's dorm. Checking his wallet as he walked down the stairs and out to the parking lot, Soul was relieved to see he still had his fake I.D. Swinging the guitar up onto his back so the strap crossed his chest and the neck of the guitar was up by his ear, Soul climbed onto his bike and left.

* * *

 _A little while later, or a lot of whiskey later…._

Soul hadn't even been I.D.'ed at the liquor store. In his current mood, the liquor of the night happened to be a blended scotch. Though a very cheap one, as Soul only had about 20 bucks that he could spend without feeling guilty. In this particular instance Soul had purchased a scotch called Whyte and Mckay and though not his favorite by any means, it had a smooth fruity flavor that lingered in its aftertaste and left the warm feeling that only comes from drinking scotch. His favorite though would always be Johnnie Walker Blue Label, but for now Whyte and Mckay would suffice.

His intentions had started off well, he only meant to have a little scotch and play bits of broken melodies on BlackStar's very ill used guitar. Technically, that was how the first hour went, and it was exactly what Soul had needed. His whole demeanor softened as he played, the twinging of the poorly maintained strings didn't even bother him for the first hour. It was the second one where it started the twitch in his neck, and the rusty tuning mechanisms began to rebuild some of the frustration he had discarded in the initial playing of the guitar. So, in order to disregard these slight annoyances Soul drank more.

So, when BlackStar and Kid walked in from their class at about nine o'clock, Soul was about halfway through the bottle.

"Hey guys!" Soul shouted. Blinking at them he tried to lower his voice and instead whispered, "Soooo, how's it?"

"Shit, Soul." BlackStar scratched the back of his head and dropped his bookbag on the couch where Soul's stuff still lay from earlier.

Soul saw Kid stiffen as he looked around the dorm room the two shared. Soul was normally pretty considerate of some of Kid's more neurotic tendencies, but drunk Soul was not.

"You have a problem, Kid?" Soul's voice was back to a normal volume, but the hidden undercurrent of anger was clear in the why the words slithered out of his mouth.

"How you spend your time is of no concern of mine. I just appreciate an ordered room is all." Kid said slowly, straightening some of the mess Soul had made in the kitchen.

"Leave that shit. I want it there." Soul stood up and only stumbled slightly, though he didn't think either Black Star or Kid had noticed. "I'll put it away when I'm done." Soul said walking slowly into the kitchenette where Kid stood.

"It actually seems like you're already done." Kid frowned and continued to put away the miscellaneous items that Soul wasn't really sure why he had gotten out to begin with.

"I said leave it." Soul growled and stepped closer toward Kid.

"And I said no." Kid turned toward Soul his controlled tone matching Soul's intensity.

"Look guys, it's fine. I think we all just need to…" BlackStar interjected.

"No, huh?" Soul placed his empty glass on the counter and felt the warm wave of the alcohol embrace his better judgement. "Fuck you and your superiority."

"It's not acting superior, it's just being mature." Kis stepped closer and Soul snapped.

Though he knew it wasn't a good idea Soul continued the conversation, "It's only cause you think you have balls now, since you finally hooked up with Maka. Only took you…"

Even drunk off his ass he saw the initial blow coming for his face, which allowed him the split second to dodge and catch the blow on his shoulder. He wasn't fast enough to miss the uppercut into his unbalanced torso. He was drunk enough to not care about the pain and throw wild punches at Kid, and he felt every other connect, though Kid was connecting his fists into Soul's head with much more accuracy. Soul gave up the blow by blow tactic and dove at Kid's knees knocking him to the floor. At first he had the advantage and was able to get a few good blows into Kid's face before Kid unbalanced him and began raining blows onto Soul.

He could hear BlackStar shouting, and then just as quickly Black Star was pulling Kid off of him. Soul gazed up and smirked, Kid had a black eye that was quickly blossoming into a beautiful array of blues and purples as well as a fat lip with a cut that was dripping blood onto his shirt. Soul knew in his haze of alcohol induced pain inhibitors that he wasn't yet feeling the full extent of his own injuries, but his field of vision was rapidly shrinking, and he knew his nose was bleeding, which probably meant broken.

"Shit, guys. What the fuck?" BlackStar shouted.

Soul shrugged painfully from the floor and from his peripheral he saw Kid shake off Black Star's hand on his shoulder.

"Who fucking knows. I'm going to pretend whatever the fuck this was didn't happen, and by morning it'll be over." Kid left Soul's field of vision and Soul assumed he was heading to his room as his voice diminished. "Just have him pick this place the fuck up. And unless you know what to do I would call Liz and see if she'll come patch him up. She knows a bit of first aid." Then Soul heard a door slam shut.

"Shiiiitttt." Soul moaned from the floor. "What the fuck is wrong with me?"

He felt rather than saw BlackStar squat next to him. "Dude, Kid'll get over this fine. But you need to come to terms with whatever brought this on." He heard BlackStar sigh, "If it is because of Maka, you need to work that out a lot quicker than this. She and Kid have had a thing for a lot longer than you could compete for, man. I'm not saying that's what it is," BlackStar continued over Soul's mumbled protests, "but I'm also not blind. Figure it out, dude. I'm going to call Liz. Your nose looks broken, and she can figure that out better than me."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

"Woah," Liz was sitting on the couch in Maka and Tsubaki's apartment building and had just looked at a text on her phone. "Looks like I've gotta go, chicas." She stood up and grabbed her coat from the back of the couch.

Maka looked up from the last few pages of _The Chamber of Secrets_ , Harry and company had just been awarded the house cup again, and the book was tying up the last few pieces, "Everything ok?" she said lazily.

"Uh…." Liz's pause was uncharacteristic, which caused Maka to sit up straighter and close her book. Tsubaki walked into the room from the bathroom and began to say, "Oh, are you leaving, Liz? It's only 9:30, I thought…" Realizing something was wrong Tsubaki paused too. Then her phone dinged. Looking quizzically at Maka and Liz she shrugged a little and pulled her phone out. Her eyes widened and she gasped slightly.

"Will someone tell me what the hell is going on?" Maka demanded, standing up and moving toward where Liza and Tsuabki were standing close to the entryway.

"Uhmm, Kid and Soul got in a fight." Liz and Tsubaki's phones dinged simultaneously.

Looking at her phone, Liz sighed, "And I for one won't tell you much more. BlackStar's being nice in his own way." She said in a half-assed explanation at Maka's critical look. "Maka, this is something that you wouldn't really get and I don't think it's mine or Tsu's place to explain it." With the mention of Tsubaki, Liz gave a hard look toward both of them before continuing. "Basically, chalk it up to boys being boys. There's not a simple way I can explain it otherwise." She shrugged, "Anyway, Soul got his ass kicked, and BlackStar and Kid both think I should go take a look and make sure he's ok."

"Are they ok? Mostly?" Maka's question wavered with the uncertainty of someone who wasn't really sure if that was the right question.

"I'm sure they'll be fine. But think about why you're asking they instead of he." And with that Liz threw her coat on, and waved a few fingers in goodbye.

"What did she mean by that?" Maka spluttered, looking toward Tsu for confirmation of the oddness of Liz's statement.

Maka didn't like the look in Tsu's eyes, a look that bordered on pity with an inherent tinge of sadness. It was a kind and somewhat patronizing look, and it did not bode well for the next words Tsu would speak.

"Maka," She paused and seemed to collect her thoughts, moving around the arm chair to sit heavily as if the answer was a burden. "Sometimes, you can't care about everyone. Sometimes, you have to care a little bit more about specific people, and they have to come first. Absolutely first. Does that make sense?"

"No." Maka sat defiantly back in her spot, picked up her book from the table, and cut herself off from the real world by engaging once more with the final celebrations of Hogwarts, but before she had effectively shut everything out she heard Tsu whisper.

"I didn't think it would."

* * *

Soul had not moved from his spot on the kitchen floor. First, he was pretty sure he would vomit if he tried to stand. Secondly, he was actually not even sure he could stand at this moment. His nose was definitely broken, and his eyes had swollen into tiny slits that the overhead kitchen light sought out and bombarded his poor retinas with a light that felt equivalent to if his eyes had been opened fully. It was creating a sharp ache in his head, partially from the alcohol, and partially from the fucking beating his face had taken. Though he didn't remember Kid pummeling his torso, even a little, his chest ached when he took even the smallest breath, and his shallow breathing was an annoying sound to him already.

He knew BlackStar was still here somewhere, he wouldn't have left, but he wasn't quite sure where exactly he was, as BlackStar was letting Soul stew in the misery of his poorly executed choices.

"Ya know." He called out, recracking his broken lip and causing blood to seep in his mouth. "I wouldn't have been so drunk if your guitar wasn't so sad." He coughed out a short laugh before choking a bit and gasping as the pain hit his side.

"Fuck you, Soul." BlackStar chuckled, "You like the pictures in my room? You better not dream about my beautiful body tonight." BlackStar's voice came closer and Soul assumed he was crouching next to him again, he held his hand up his elbow still resting on the floor. BlackStar clasped his hand in a gesture of comradeship, "You're one fucked up dude, Soul."

"Am I interrupting something?" A voice that Soul had trouble placing joined the duo.

"Ha ha took you damn near long enough, Liz." BlackStar dropped Soul's hand.

"Liz, I was trying to seduce him." Soul rasped out. "But I think the floor and I have something special and I wasn't quite ready to let go of that yet."

"Holy shit, Soul. Kid sure did a number on your face."

"I'm going for a new color, pale isn't cool ya know?"

"Well, I wouldn't really say the purple you're going to be is much better." He felt a light finger brushing over his cheek, before moving to the other, and finally gently tapping the top of his nose. "And, you should probably stop talking. You keep reopening the cuts on your lips, and the one on your cheek."

"Chicks love scars, I've heard."

"Shut up, Soul. BlackStar, help me carry Soul downstairs." Liz's voice had taken on a direct and leading tone and honestly it was kind of hot. He wasn't sure if it was the idea that someone else knew what to do now, or the alcohol fucking with his brain receptors cause usually demanding wasn't his thing.

BlackStar and Liz's voices roamed around the room, carrying on a conversation that Soul heard bits and pieces of over the clatter of small messes being straightened and things being organized back into place.

"Why? Wouldn't it be better if he….." Soul heard the start of BlackStar's question.

"Two reasons. One because Kid needs more time than….. and because I have a tub and unless you want to shower him, I think…." Liz's explanation tuned in and out of Soul's head like a radio station in the mountains.

Then suddenly, the extraneous noise stopped and he was being lifted from his armpits and was leaning on two people. One side, he assumed with Liz, was slightly shorter and her arm was wrapped around him and her hand held his wrist tightly to balance. BlackStar must be the slightly taller form on the other side that seemed to carry most of his weight if in a slightly unbalanced manner. BlackStar seemed to be carrying something else on his other side.

"Oh, shit." Liz stopped their semi-forward movement to what Soul assumed was outside and hopefully to Liz's car. Soul didn't think he could do the partially unbalanced thing the whole walk over to the girls' apartments.

"What now, Liz?" BlackStar grumbled. "It's already fucking 11:00. We've cleaned this fucking apartment to your specifications, you tried to check on Kid, and you re-cleaned everything you had me clean. What the fuck else is left?"

"I'm taking the whiskey. Can you fit it in Soul's bag, you think?"

"Are you fucking serious?" BlackStar's outcry turned into a grunt as Liz suddenly dropped her side of Soul.

Soul tried to chuckle, but only ended up with a wheezing exhalation that sounded like a cough.

"Alright I'm back. And don't worry, ya big baby. I can carry the whiskey too." Soul felt himself being readjusted between the two as they began their shuffling descent down to the ground floor.

"At least the elevators not broken here." Liz huffed out, when they exited the elevator.

"At least you have a freaking car." BlackStar snarled as he loaded Soul into the back seat. "Never again, Tsu better reward me for being so goddamn fucking good…"

"God BlackStar, just get in the car. We still have to get him up four flights to my apartment."

* * *

Soul realized he must have blacked out, when he heard water running and found himself in a bathroom very similar to the one he had seen at Maka and Tsubaki's. He faintly heard BlackStar and Liz talking in what must be the room next door.

"Just let Tsu and them know that both of them will be fine."

"Yeah, yeah. You want Patty to go over there too? I know how you get about her seeing things like this."

"Yeah, if you don't mind. I'd rather she didn't see. I mean she's seen the results of Kid's fights before… but I don't think it's good for her, she gets too involved."

"It was a pretty fucking awesome fight though. Even with Soul being drunk off his ass. I wonder if he boxed or something in high school?"

"Don't." Liz's voice had taken on a deadly seriousness and Soul could barely hear the next words at all. "Do not start that shit up again with Kid. I don't think it helped anything for him."

"Alright, Alright. I'll take Patty over and we'll see you guys in the morning. I'll beg Tsu to make breakfast."

"Yeah, everything should be fine mentally by then. Kid and Soul will look like Frankenstein's monsters tomorrow but it should be alright."

"Sounds good. Don't be too hard on Soul." Soul heard footsteps heading toward him and turned his head to peer blearily at the door.

"Perfect timing." Liz said as she shut the water off, and turned toward Soul. "Ok, what can you do? Can you stand at all? You had all but three shots of whiskey. I'm honestly surprised you're even functioning."

Soul groaned, and the movement of his head back to where Liz stood near the tub caused his stomach to roil.

"Oh, shit. Here." Liz moved quickly, pulling him down off where he had been sitting, which he found out was the toilet, and at the same time she opened the lid he felt the sickly feeling when your mouth becomes too full of spit and the phantom heaving feeling that happens right before…

"That has to feel better." He heard Liz say between the splashes of his bile hitting the water. There was nothing really for him to throw up. He had had nothing but alcohol for the past few hours, and the combination meant he was throwing up alcohol, water, bile, and blood. He felt Liz settle next to him and then begin rubbing his back gently. He wasn't sure how long he continued to heave nothing into the toilet before he defeatedly lay his head on the rim inches from Liz's face next to him.

"I am so sorry. This isn't…"

"Shh. It's fine, Scarlet. Let's get you in the tub. At least some of the swelling has gone done a little. Though you're still going to look like shit tomorrow."

She straightened up. "I'll be right outside. Just call out if you need anything." Then she opened the bathroom door, and when she did a draft of cold air replaced the steamy air of the bathroom, then she left.

Soul tried, he really did. He was able to sit on his ass with his back against the toilet and kick his shoes off and untangle himself out of the baseball style, half-sleeved, v-neck shirt he was wearing. He hoped it didn't have anything on it, because it was one of his favorite shirts. The 'v' didn't come too far down on this shirt, and the colors were just the right shade of faded now. It was a thing of nostalgia, he had stolen it from his brother. After his shirt, things grew more complicated. He got his pants unbuttoned and was able to wrangle his jeans past his boxer briefs to his knees, but he couldn't get his socks off and then when he stood it all went down hill.

He tried to minimize the sound of his fall, but this threw him even more off balance and he landed in the tub instead of his goal of landing next to it. This in turn created a larger sound effect than he had wanted or that would've happened originally.

So, he wasn't surprised when Liz threw open the door.

"I heard something and I was worried that…" Liz stopped as she registered the situation.

"I fell. I told you the floors have a thing for me." Soul said from the bathtub where he sat with his boxer briefs and socks still on and his pants floating next to him.

It looked like Liz tried really hard to stifle the giggle that snuck out from the corner of her mouth, but when Soul quirked his mouth into a smirk she burst out laughing.

"Oh, you think this is funny?" Soul smirked.

Liz moved further into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her she leaned against it and said, "Well, maybe a little."

"Then this should be hilarious." Soul said his smirk widening into a cocky grin as he ran his arm through the water and splashing the front of Liz.

"Soul!" Liz shrieked, when the water hit her. "You ass!" Her grin belayed the anger in her voice and Soul knew he could get away with more.

What he didn't expect was Liz to step further into the room and say, "Well I think this should even out the odds don't you?" Then her hands fell to the waistband of her jeans, and she slowly pulled them down off her hips, and with a dainty wiggle and slight kick she displayed her long legs, which were now only clad in light pink boy shorts. Then her hands slowly traveled up those same long legs to the hem of her t-shirt and inch by inch she pulled her t-shirt over her head.


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note: Ok, so there's obviously been a large break between my posts. There's not any particular reason for this... in part I've been really busy, in part I wasn't sure how this needed to play out and how much I wanted to include, in part I wasn't really motivated. Anyway huge shout out to user: jadedesgrange for your awesome review. That really made my day and helped re-motivate me to get to the more interesting parts of this story.**

 **Reminder: This is rated M and I play with some of these more adult themes in this chapter. If you don't like reading that, skip from the first line break to the second line break. Fair warning.**

 **Again, I will finish this story. I'm writing it because I want to see how this plays out, and I love these characters. However, I don't have a particular timeline for that. Please be patient with me! I promise we'll get there. :)**

 **Chapter 13**

Though the third Harry Potter promised an interesting premise and another engaging story, Maka found herself unable to concentrate as Harry boarded the Knight Bus after accidently blowing up his Aunt Marge. There was a much more relevant drama that concerned her, unfolding in a whispered conversation between BlackStar and Tsubaki. The two of them hovered at the counter bar and Maka assumed their conversation was about Kid and Soul's fight. She stretched slightly and scooted toward them, hoping they wouldn't notice her gradual march from one end of the couch to the other. Unfortunately, Tsubaki did notice and cleared her throat loudly before saying, "Maka, I'm sorry Patty is in your bed. If you want BlackStar and I can take the couch and you can sleep in my bed?"

"No, that's ok. I don't mind sleeping out here." Maka smiled sweetly at Tsubaki's offer, knowing that even if her friend was keeping something from her the offer was still genuine.

"If you're sure then…" Tsubaki trailed off as BlackStar interrupted her.

"It's probably for the best," he crowed. "She has no idea what we've done in there." He winked lewdly at Tsubaki who just rolled her eyes.

"Anyway," Tsubaki ignored BlackStar's commentary and turned back to Maka. "I'm exhausted. It's been a really weird day, so I'm headed to bed." She stretched from her position behind the counter before moving around it toward her room. BlackStar trailed behind her, but waved Tsubaki on when he stopped at the corner of the couch.

Leaning against the arm of the couch, he ruffled the hair on the back of his head in a scratching motion before turning to Maka. "Look Maka. I think it's best if you just leave this alone. I know you want to fix it, but this isn't really something you need to fix. Let Kid and Soul work it out themselves."

"Why does everyone keep telling me this?" Maka demanded slamming her book down on the table as she shifted to look at BlackStar. "I'm not a fucking child, and I understand the ramifications of a fist fight between two boys. I was here throughout Kid's shit too." She crossed her arms and her fingers beat an angry tattoo on her right bicep as she waited for an explanation.

"Maka," BlackStar sighed, which Maka had to admit was out of character for him. "You are an inherently positive person. Ok?" His eyes roamed her face until she nodded in agreement. "And, even though you were there for all of that just like the rest of us, the _why_ of it never made sense to you, did it?"

"I knew Kid was angry or something…"

"Yeah, more the or something…" BlackStar paused as if weighing the next words he needed to say. "But mostly Kid hated everything about himself. He hated who he was, who he wasn't, he hated being alive, but he didn't want to die. That shit he did was the only time he felt anything."

"I don't think I understand." Maka's tensely crossed arms had relaxed and a confused misunderstanding became the dominant expression on her face, replacing the tense anger that had been there only a moment before.

"And I don't think you ever will. That type of hatred. That massive amount of anger and sadness all rolled into one person, it's not something you ever could understand. You just aren't built that way." BlackStar paused, but held up a hand as Maka's initial protests began. "I'm not saying you wouldn't try. You're positive, empathetic, and one of the nicest people I know. But the depth of that type of emotion is something that you have to accept without trying to understand or fix. And I don't think you're capable of not trying to understand or not trying to fix it for them."

Maka's brow wrinkled and it was apparent she was biting the inside of her cheek as tried to explain herself using exaggerated motions and the words dripping slowly from her mouth. "It's not that I want to fix it… I just want it to be easier for them when they figure out they can do it themselves."

"I get it." BlackStar said softly. "I really do, but you can only be there. You can't do it for them." He stood up from the arm of the couch and ruffled Maka's hair as he passed by her. "Just please try and let them work it out for themselves. Soul and Kid are more alike and more mature than you may think."

* * *

Soul wasn't exactly sure what was happening. Well that wasn't entirely true, he knew exactly what was happening to his body. The question that remained was why Liz was standing in her bra and panties in front of him. The bathroom was soaked. First, from Soul's original tumble into the tub, and then it was again soaked from the splash that had caused Liz to strip down.

Soul's pants slowly became more waterlogged and sank, whereas the area his pants had covered was steadily rising.

"Uh," Soul mumbled unintelligibly, leaning forward awkwardly to try and cover his boner.

Liz laughed and stepped into the tub with Soul. She sat between his legs, pulling off each of his socks and tossing them in the sink. "Trust me." Instead of looking at him, her eyes followed the slow trail her hands were making downward. Her fingers gently caressed his tip through his underwear, making him shiver.

Slowly, mostly because he was still not sure why this was happening, Soul reached up, his hands dripping water back into the tub and running in rivulets down his forearms and the back of his biceps. Hesitantly, he slid his hand behind Liz's neck, but then quickly, before he could rethink it, he pulled her face to his into a hard kiss.

Liz wrapped her long legs around his torso and her arms slid around his neck while her fingers twined into his hair as she fell into the kiss with him. Soul adjusted her in his lap, sitting her more closely onto his erection.

She moaned into his mouth as her clit brushed against his cock. "Soulll." She whispered through the moan.

Soul winced as his lip split open slightly with the force of their lips each pushing against the others, neither giving in to the others demand for dominance. Liz's hands ran through his hair tickling his scalp, as she began to grind her hips against his.

The room was still humid from the steam the bath had given off earlier, but the water was rapidly cooling and was now a tepid warmth that was uncomfortable with his underwear plastered ever more tightly against his dick.

Suddenly, just as quickly as everything had started, Liz stopped their forward momentum.

"Come with me." She said as she stood up water dripping down her legs and creating soft ripples around her. Continuing to surprise him, she wriggled out of her boy shorts, grabbed a towel off the rack, and as she wrapped it around herself, she pulled the plug out of the tub and stepped out. Opening the door she looked back only once, raising a brow suggestively and nodding to the left.

* * *

Waking up slowly, Soul tries to orient himself. The room is unfamiliar and there are quite a significant number of pain sensors that have all decided to wake up with him, which only make it more difficult to process the room. There's a song playing in his head, but he can only seem to catch bits of it weaving in and out of his head through the fog of too much whiskey from last night. The lyrics grow louder and he groans, rubbing his hands on his forehead.

 _Tiny vessels oozed into your neck_

 _And formed the bruises,_

 _That you said you didn't want to fade,_

 _But they did and so did I that day…._

"Fuuuuck." He groaned. As the events of last night started to take shape in his mind, the lyrics of Death Cab for Cutie's "Tiny Vessels" continued to pound through his head.

 _All I see are dark grey clouds_

 _In the distance moving closer with every hour._

 _So when you ask "Was something wrong?",_

 _That I think "You're damn right there is but we can't talk about it now._

 _No, we can't talk about it now."_

Rolling himself into an upright position he tried to ignore the protesting of his ribs and the rush of dizziness that became a focus of his brain, as he tried to keep from falling back.

"Fuuuuuuck." He said once more, resting his head in his hands.

"God, shut up."

Soul unintentionally flinched as Liz's voice sounded from beneath the covers next to him.

Her head peeked out, "Anything not coming back all the way, Scarlet?" She smirked "I'm assuming most of it is processing, as your eloquent words have displayed."

"What the hell even happened? Why did this…" Soul trailed off, unsure if he could even ask why Liz had led him back to her room.

"I don't know? Do I need a reason?" Liz turned onto her side, the blankets covering everything below her shoulders, she looked up at him while resting her elbow on a pillow and her head supported by this arm, the other waving around with typical Liz agitation. "I was feeling it. You're cute. Maybe it's just nice to feel good. Pick a reason."

"I guess… it was just unexpected." Soul ran his hands through his hair. "I think my pants are still in the tub." He sighed. "Fuuuuckk."

"Just text BlackStar." Liz flipped onto her back and made a waving motion with her hand. "Now, either you can go back to sleep, or you can leave. I don't have classes until later, so choose, cause I, for one, am tired after last night." She winked lewdly at Soul before rolling over and covering her head.

 _So one last touch and then you'll go._

 _And we'll pretend that it meant something so much more,_

 _But it was vile, and it was cheap._

 _And you are beautiful, but you don't mean a thing to me_

 _Yeah, you are beautiful, but you don't mean a thing to me._

 _Yeah, you are beautiful, but you don't mean a thing to me._

Soul slipped out of the bed and through the bedroom door as quietly as he could, wishing he could get this damn song out of his head.

* * *

Maka woke up stiffly from her spot on the couch. She was surprised BlackStar hadn't already ran through the apartment screaming or some such ridiculousness. She stretched and reached for her book. It would be nice to read for a little while before everyone woke up. Just as she opened to the last page she had read, BlackStar opened the door of Tsubaki's room.

Maka didn't try to eavesdrop, but she did put her book back and pretend she was asleep.

"Shh, BlackStar." Tsubaki whispered. "Maka's still asleep."

"I know, I know. And I wouldn't leave, but Soul needs me to grab him some pants or some shit. I guess his are soaked."

"Huh?" Tsubaki's confusion matched Maka's.

She strained to listen, as BlackStar answered. "I guess…" BlackStar's voice volume fell and Maka missed part of the statement, but halfway through his excitement caused him to become louder, " So, that means he must have slept there naked! We both know what that means…"

"Shhh!" Tsubaki hushed BlackStar again, "And we don't KNOW anything." Maka could almost imagine the disapproving look on Tsu's face as she scolded BlackStar.

She heard him huff before kissing Tsubaki noisily. "I'll see you soon, love." Now Maka really wished she had been asleep because BlackStar was only sweet like this when no one was around. It made Maka uncomfortable. And if she was being totally honest… she didn't like the implications of Soul sleeping at Liz's. Naked or not.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

 **Author's Note: So there are two mistakes I have made so far. One in the timeline, and one in character. If you didn't notice, GREAT! If you did I apologize, I've given an explanation that I like to think fixes these said mistakes... :) Thanks to all for the recent follows and reviews! Please enjoy the chapter.**

As time often does, the rest of the week and part of the next passed in an awkward assortment of blissful intentional ignorance, which of course led to overtly awkward conversations throughout the group of friends.

"Oh my god, I can't fucking stand this." BlackStar whined from his position with his head on Tsubaki's lap. He was sprawled across his shitty dorm room couch, of which he was the sole owner. (His roommate had ended up dropping out.)

Soul snorted from one of the equally shitty armchairs provided to the dormers. He idly flicked through the movies and shows on Netflix. "Damn it. I just want the next season of Attack on Titan. Is that too much to ask?"

Without looking up from her history textbook Tsubaki equally addressed both boys, "Can't stand what, BlackStar? And I heard it was pushed back into the second half of this year, Soul. Maybe even next year."

Soul's sigh was as loud as BlackStar's, both of which displayed equal displeasure.

"And everything this past week-ish." BlackStar said flailing his arms in frustration.

Tsubaki calmly turned the page, "you're going to have to be a little more explicit, hon."

"Like everyone's acting so weird. A lot of shit went down and everyone's just pretending nothing happened."

Soul stiffened from his spot in the armchair, "yeah but isn't that for the best? Nobody's really upset anymore, right? So, it's all good."

BlackStar grunted, turning his head to look at Soul. "You don't really believe that, do you?"

Soul shrugged, not looking at anyone. "It wouldn't be the first time." He said under his breath.

"Well, I think it's about time for another drunken shenanigan." BlackStar crowed sitting up and upsetting Tsubaki's textbook.

"Oh, BlackStar." Tsubaki adjusted her seat on the couch and her textbook as he laid his head back in her lap. Running her fingers through his hair she continued, "I don't know if that's really the best idea. I'm kinda with Soul on this. It might be better to let this one be for a bit."

"But Tsu." BlackStar looked up at her imploringly. As the two continued to be disgustingly adorable, Soul turned away. He already felt shitty enough about the whole situation, and though he loved Tsubaki and BlackStar, seeing a really healthy relationship just made him feel worse.

"Well, I think I'm going to take off guys." Soul stood up. "And when I say take off, I mean walk down to my dorm." He knew he was being awkward as he grabbed his bag, so he forced a slight chuckle at his own stupid comment and heard BlackStar snort slightly from behind him.

"Sounds good man. I think I'll have Tsu convinced a party is a good idea within the next hour."

Soul laughed, "be honest man. You're only good for five minutes."

Tsubaki snorted, which caused Soul to look back in time to see her cover her mouth and make a supplicating gesture. "It was funny, BlackStar! That doesn't mean it's true!" He heard her exclaim as he turned and opened the door.

* * *

Maka glared at Soul, the flame of the Bunsen burner the only thing matching her intensity.

"No, that one." Maka said pointing at another vial. "I told you it was the smaller one since you can't seem to comprehend the actual names."

"Thanks." The syllables were clipped and forced as they pushed through his teeth. "I don't know how I'd ever function without your simplistic directions." Soul smiled, while his hands clenched and unclenched before grabbing the correct vial.

"Well _my simplistic directions_ don't seem to be simple enough, as you can't follow along." Maka shrugged apathetically and crossed her arms.

"Fuck this shit." Soul pulled his safety glasses off and his snowy white hair fell forward as he shook his head. "Just fuck it." He said again, throwing said glasses on the table and grabbing his bag he quickly walked to the front of the room blowing past Stein, who only looked up with a slight disinterest, and out the door. The resounding slam of the door hitting the frame incorrectly and then wobbling on screechy hinges rang through the room.

Sighing, Maka shut off the Bunsen burner and pulled her safety glasses on top of her head. She made sure the vials were all shut tightly before laying her head down on table in defeat.

She heard rather than saw Liz approach, and then suddenly Liz's head was laying next to her's. "Hey."

"Hey." Maka sighed. "I just don't get him. He doesn't care about this class at all."

"C'mon Maka. We both know that's not the only thing." Strands of Liz's blonde hair fell in sections across her face.

Maka's left pigtail was digging into the side of her head. "I just worry. Everything feels off and I know part of it is because of him and Kid." _And you._

"Well, BlackStar thinks drinking it out of our system is a good idea, and I for one agree."

Maka frowned. "I'm not sure that's really the best solution. You've been drinking a lot already, Liz." As Maka thought about it, she realized Liz had been drinking at least every other night for the past few weeks, if not more. "Maybe it's better if we just wait this one out. I mean they're roommates, they can't ignore each other forever?" Maka's lilt at the end displayed her unsurity of whether or not the situation would be resolved through patience.

"Yes, they can." Liz said, pushing her hair behind her ear and sitting up. "Besides, Maka! It's Thirsty Thursday!"

"Liz, you can't just say it's Thirsty Thursday. Last week it was Monday Thirsty Thursday… This week it's Friday Thirsty Thursday? You know that it doesn't work like that." Maka sat up and pulled her pigtails out to rub her head where it'd been pushing against her skull.

"Everything ok?" Kid asked. Maka flinched, she knew he was asking about more than just Soul walking out of the classroom. She hadn't meant to avoid Kid, but she also wasn't sure how to act, or what to do, or what they were, and so she had been avoiding him.

"Uh, I think I heard Dr. Stein call me." Maka said, looking down as she gathered her things. "Sorry, Kid. Everything's fine. I think we're having a party. Ask Liz." The words blurted from her mouth as she brushed past him to the front of the room.

"Maka, I…" Kid started to say, as he caught her arm, but then he dropped her arm and any words he was about to say, "It's nothing. I guess I'll see you later."

As Maka made her way to the front, she caught the beginning of Kid's question to Liz, "I don't know what I did wr…." but she forced herself to stop listening. She didn't want to hear the pain in his voice. Admittedly, she had started the forward momentum and the initial change in her and Kid's relationship, but now she wasn't sure where to go from here. It was easier to avoid him until she knew. _Right?_ With this thought Maka squared her shoulders, and stopped at Dr. Stein's desk.

"Maka, just the person I needed to see." Dr. Stein said without looking up from the notes he was scribbling on. "I see that the lab partnership between you and Soul is not going well." At this point he looked up and adjusted his glasses. "Need I remind you that you are only in this class because I believed you would be useful? Allowing Soul to leave the classroom does not constitute useful in any definition of the word."

"Yes, sir. I'm sorry, sir. But he doesn't care at…"

"Obviously, he doesn't. That's why you've been allowed in this class." Dr. Stein leaned back and shuffled his papers before addressing her, "Just figure it out." Then standing up he said, "class is dismissed."

Everyone looked up from the midst of their experiments, and then almost as one looked to the clock. They still had over half of the class remaining. Disregarding everyone's puzzled expressions, Dr. Stein quickly shoved his papers into a briefcase. Maka heard him mutter as he started out the door, "I must tell Dr. Medusa right away! This information is vital to…"

Maka jumped as an arm was slung around her shoulder.

"Awesome. Early Friday! Or should I say _Thirsty Thursday_?"

Maka rolled her eyes as Liz steered her out the door.

* * *

One of the first places that Stein had shown to Soul was the training/workout building on the campus. He had also given Soul explicit directions that it was essential he learned to deal with his problems in a different way than his previous coping method. So, Soul had studiously avoided the building. That is, he had avoided it until today; he sighed. Standing outside wasn't going to change anything, but he

"Mr. Evans? Is that you?"

Soul turned around slowly, not exactly sure who was calling him.

"Oh, it's you Professor Marie." Soul sighed more heavily this time, Marie was a great person but her positive personality was not what he needed right now.

"Shouldn't you be in class, Mr. Evans?"

Soul winced, "Can you please call me Soul, Professor? And well you weren't there either, so I didn't want to stay." Soul had decided making Marie uncomfortable might be the best way to get her to leave.

"Ha ha very funny, Soul." Marie started herding him towards the door of the workout facility. "I am a real professor, I only T.A. Dr. Stein's classes on Mondays. I'm working on my doctorate in biology. My masters was based in literature, the rest of the week I teach the English classes." She smiled broadly. "I was just so interested in some biological elements in a story that I was reading that I decided to pursue my doctorate in some aspects of theoretical biology."

"Oh? I'm sorry I didn't realize…" Soul was cut off as Marie pushed him through the entryway.

"... quite alright. You aren't any of my classes because you're a transfer student." Her smile brightened the dim interior of the room. "Now, I assume you're here because of a tiff in class? I believe that Professor Spirit is here and would be happy to box with you. I hear it's a great way to vent frustration you know!"

"Wha… No, I mean…" Soul spluttered as Marie continued to push him through the room and into an adjacent hall.

"Here I'll take you back to his office." She pushed him through the hall and then down another to a door bearing the name, Spirit Albarn.

"Wait, is this Maka's dad?"

 _Fuck, fuck, fuck._ With this internal mantra repeating through his brain, he barely heard Marie's affirmative response as she knocked on the door.

"My beautiful Marie, what can I do to assist such a wonderfully voluptuous woman as yourself?" The red headed man that had invaded Stein's class stood languidly in the doorway, obnoxiously looking Marie over.

"Spirit, this is Soul Evans. I believe Stein mentioned he might be in eventually to vent some frustrations." Marie gestured to Soul as she said this. "I believe a spar would be an excellent way to assist him." Turning to Soul she said, "Soul, this is Professor Spirit. He teaches the various recreational classes, as well as the anatomy and physiology classes on campus.

Spirit straightened and had the decency to look guilty, "I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there behind this beautiful gift from…." Suddenly, Spirit bent over and coughed.

"That's quite enough, Spirit." Marie's smile hadn't slipped an inch, but Soul quickly realized she was no one to be trifled with as she withdrew her fist from Spirit's stomach.

"Understood, Ma'am." Spirit wheezed out.

"Alright boys, I'm off to a hot yoga class with Dr. Medusa." Marie ignored Spirit's gasp, "enjoy your spar!" She waved slightly as she headed back down the hall that she and Soul had just walked.

"Can you imagine?"

Soul looked over to Spirit, who had a faraway look in his eyes. "Imagine what?" he asked, not entirely sure he wanted to know the answer.

"Hot yoga!" Soul flinched as Spirit grabbed him by the shoulders and started shaking him. "Have you seen Medusa?!" Spirit's voice registered his incredulity at Soul's less than enthusiastic response. He shook his head as he continued, "and Marie is…" Spirit stopped for a moment seemingly at a loss for words.

"Oh, my god I don't think I can do this." Soul whispered under his breath.

Spirit either didn't hear or chose to proceed regardless, "Well, Soul. The gym is this way." Then he began moving through a hallway to the left, expecting Soul to follow.

Soul sighed, before slowly following the red-headed man down the hallway.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

 **Author's Note: So, I've been absentee for a while. In my defense I moved to a new country and had to get a lot of my life figured out. :) I haven't written in a long time, so there may be a few style changes and I apologize if they seem a little jarring. I need to get back into the rhythm of this story and I also need to get back into the rhythm of my own writing. I'm going to toss out a general warning here for content. (drinking, drugs, and a plot clincher that could be troublesome.) Also credit for songs: Remixed Closer (I've lost the original remixed version that inspired that part) The second song is : "To Be Alive" by Puppet Feat Aaron Richards. Enjoy!**

"Maka!" She knew it was Kid that called her as she hurried from the classroom. "Maka, wait up. Please?"

His voice registered a sadness that made her pause. She didn't turn around, but she waited. Then suddenly there he was, too close. His tight black jeans leading to his buttoned up shirt, and just as always he was perfectly put together.

Liz frowned slightly before glancing bemusedly at her phone, "Oh, would you look at that. I have something that I'm late for." She looked up from her phone and smiled at Maka and Kid. "I'll see you two later!" She quickly began to walk away, but before she had gotten very far she turned back and shouted at them, "Be at BlackStar's at like 9!" Then waving manically she turned and Maka was alone… with Kid.

"Look, Maka…" Kid paused and Maka inclined her head slightly so she was actually looking at him. "I don't know if I did something wrong, or I misread something between us. But if I did that's on me and it would be awesome if we could at least talk about it." Kid was gesturing broadly as he spoke and even went so far as to uncharacteristically run his hands through his hair. Catching himself, he smoothed his hair back down and buried his hands in his pockets. "Or we don't have to talk about it ever again, but can we at least talk like we used to?" Kid's gaze fell and Maka inched forward before she could stop herself.

"Kid. That's not it." Reaching out, she lightly clutched at the sleeve of his shirt. "I just got so far into my own head and we didn't really talk after… and…"

Closing the distance between them, Kid wrapped his arms around Maka, backpack and all. Resting his head on her shoulder he whispered, "Maka, I want to be with you, and I thought you wanted that too."

"I do." Maka whispered, though her arms remained at her side instead of returning the embrace.

Kid stepped back, and his hands moved to her shoulders, before one gently cupped her cheek. "Yeah, I'm not so sure about that anymore." His hands fell.

"Wait, what do you mean?" Maka exclaimed reaching for Kid as he started to walk away.

He sighed heavily, burying his hands once more into his pockets and kicking at imaginary dust on the sidewalk, "Just think about what you want, Maka. And if you decide anything you can make that clear tonight." He turned away, "I'll see you at BlackStar's."

Maka thought about calling him back, but ultimately her self doubt held her back from calling out. Maka knew Kid, she knew that he would never hurt her, but instead of recognizing this at face value, Maka allowed her brain to continue to create insane scenarios of why Kid had wanted to kiss her. Because in her head (and maybe even a little in her heart) she didn't think she was worth it.

* * *

 _Whack!_

Soul shook his head blearily after receiving yet another hit from the crazy red headed man. "You hit pretty hard for an old man." Soul sputtered the words out, unable to resist the taunt, even as he continued to get his ass kicked.

"What?! I'm not old!" Spirit shouted as he pivoted slightly behind Soul while reaching under Soul's right arm and around his head. In a matter of just a few seconds, Soul knew he was doomed. He felt Spirit lock the hold, and the slight shift in gravity as Spirit's center of gravity lowered then Soul's feet were no longer beneath him as Spirit's hip cocked and his arms pushed Soul down, hard, onto the mat.

"Shiiiitt." Soul wheezed trying to catch his breath.

From Soul's spot on the floor, he saw Spirit sniff and cross his arms. "Old, hmph, could an old man…" Soul tuned him out and focused on the ceiling tiles above him, until a hand popped into the view. Soul grabbed it and was hauled to his feet. "Alright. I think that's good for now. You seem better than when you were dropped off." Spirit looked at him critically, "Come see me again next week. Your footwork is sloppy."

Instinctively, Soul knew there was more to the sentence, but he also knew it was easier to focus on the physical problems, like sloppy footwork, than the mental problems that he was sloppily working through with physical exercise.

Soul sighed and ran a hand through his damp hair before nodding slightly.

"Now!" Spirit clapped his hands and smiled broadly, "I think we've finished in enough time to catch the end of the hot yoga class that some of my esteemed colleagues have mentioned. Why don't we go…"

"Uh no. I'm actually trying to avoid trouble. I think I'll go run a bit instead."

"I understand," Spirit looked at the floor as if evaluating his next words, "women are nothing but trouble," he paused, and then looking up at Soul quickly he thumped his fist against his chest and started a mumbled shout, "except my perfect daughter!" He then glared at Soul and fiercely whispered, "who you better not even look at or think about," before he continued with his mumbled shouts about how perfect his daughter was.

Soul used the opportunity to sneak out of the room toward what he hoped was the track. The door did indeed lead to the track, and Soul took a few deep breaths of the fall air before loping slowly into a jog that beat a steady rhythm into the fibers of the track. Running easily beat out any remaining thoughts that had been crowding his brain. Thoughts about his mistakenly fighting Kid, or fucking Liz or even the ones he wouldn't admit to himself… _Maka_. Soul twitched slightly as his feet began to match the beat of Rise Against's "Re-Education Through Labor", his thoughts based in the past few weeks slowly draining from his head through his heart and out the soles of his feet as slight puffs of dirt and leaves on the ill-used track.

Soul came back to himself with a similar beat echoing through his head, though the lyrics and tone were decidedly different.

"Oh, who the fuck put Alkaline Trio on?" He whined, as "I'm Only Here to Disappoint" mingled with the remnants of his earlier run with Rise Against. He swirled the shitty vodka and cranberry he had regulated himself to drink to forbear any incidents like the whiskey one. The room was full of the usual group of people as well as some randoms from the dorms, and though it seemed normal Soul could tell many of the interactions between the normal group of six were coming across slightly forced. _Wait there are normally seven… Where's Maka?_ Soul's brain processed this information the moment that Maka sauntered through the door.

* * *

Maka trudged slowly through BlackStar's doorway, the beginning of Alkaline Trio's "I'm Only Here to Disappoint" making her brain overthink her entrance as a form of foreshadowing. She heard Soul's muffled complaint and saw Liz roll her eyes before heading over to the stereo and changing the song.

 _Hey. I was doing just fine before I met you._

 _I drank too much and that's an issue but I'm ok._

 _Hey. Tell your friends it was nice to meet them, but I hope I never see them again._

Maka tuned out the rest of the remixed version of the song by the Chainsmokers with whomever it featured* (*Ft: Halsey) and glanced around the room. Her gaze took in her normal assortment of friends gathered around Liz, BlackStar loudly teasing her about her song choice and Tsubaki trying to contain her laughter. She saw Kid chuckling lightly behind Patty who was on her phone and finally her gaze rested upon Soul sitting moodily on the couch and staring at her as she walked through the door. Maka lifted her chin defiantly and she felt rather than saw Soul lower his eyes as she intentionally made the effort of heading toward Kid and the others arranged around the stereo.

"MAKA!" Liz shouted, before giggling. "You don't have a drink!" Liz's head swiveled to where Soul was sprawled on the couch and she waved her arm imperiously at him, as she shouted, "Soul! We need another vodka cranberry, stat." Liz glanced at her own drink, which was about half full, before continuing, "Actuallyyyyy", " she said drawing out the final syllable, "make that two." She turned back to Maka and draped her arm in a conspiratorial manner over Maka as she whispered loudly that, "Soul promised he would get my drinks tonight if I keep a secret."

"Whaaa?" Maka started to protest as a drink was shoved into her hand by Soul and he grabbed her quickly out of Liz's grasp.

"Ha Ha Ha." Soul forced a chuckle before continuing, " Crazy drunk shenanigans, you know, right?" His arm felt heavy on her shoulder, unlike Liz's which had been there only a moment before.

Maka sipped her drink as Soul's warm breath whispered quietly in her ear, "please don't encourage her." Then his arm fell off her shoulders and Soul continued moving toward BlackStar, Liz and Patty. Maka also realized that Kid was coming toward her with a specific intention.

 _Step outside, don't look back because we don't need to justify our crimes._

 _Who are you to say it's wrong to live my life?_

The song had changed to one that Maka didn't recognize, and Kid seemed to carry a different type of confidence than his earlier attempts at clarifying their relationship.

 _I won't hesitate, ohwhoa I won't bend or break._

 _No, we won't know if we don't try…_

Then suddenly, one of Kid's hands was on her waist the other snaking around behind her head and gently grasping her neck. His lips grazed against her face as they slowly moved from the corner of her mouth to her ear. Once again a whispered breath brushed against her ear.

"I decided I didn't want to be polite and maybe lose you."

Awkwardly, because of the drink in her hand, Maka let her hands follow the curve of Kid's spine toward the tip of his collared shirt. Her fingers rested there playing lightly with the slightly raised cuff of his ostensibly black button up shirt. His lips moved slowly up and down her her jawline just lightly brushing her skin.

 _If we don't try….. Ohwhoaaaa. If we don't try…._

 _We are here to do more than just survive._

With the lyrics pounding in in her head, and the slight tingle of the vodka burning in the back of her throat and stomach, Maka gave in to the feeling crawling from her belly to her heart, and turned her head so that her lips found Kid's.

* * *

Looking up from his drink, Soul caught the end of a what seemed to be an intimate conversation between Kid and Maka ending in a very public and sloppy kiss, as Maka's vodka and cranberry spilled down Kid's back. Laughing, their hands entwined they moved toward the kitchen. Looking away, Soul forced himself to concentrate on the game of Kings he was playing. He knew the game as Circle of Death, but BlackStar refused to acknowledge any name but Kings, and as such had established very specific house rules.

"Soul, it's your turn…" He heard Kilik exasperatedly say, as if for the third or fourth time.

"Ah, yeah sorry." Soul glanced at his fingers, he had only one of the three 'never have I ever' options left. "Uhhhhh,"

"Uh, Uh, Uh, todayyy, junior!" Patty called out from the opposite side of the couch.

"Yeah," Soul ran his hands distractedly through his hair, "Uh, never have I ever, smoked weed."

"WHATTTTT!" The whole table seemed to shout at him. A chorus from both his friends, and the few newbies like Kilik and Ox, and Jackie and Kim.

"Dude, we all know you did drugs." BlackStar slurred out, being a few shots in he was less coherent than normal, and less considerate as well.

"Then you should've used a never have I ever, _dude_." Soul mimicked BlackStar's inflection and gestured at him with his beer. "Now I believe that your last finger has gone, cause I know for a fact you smoke." Soul winked at BlackStar who huffed a bit before taking his drink.

Soul's attention faded in and out of the game as they proceeded to get slowly wrecked on waterfalls, poorly managed rules, and a fucking awesome question master in the form of Ox, who was able to pretend very well that he didn't understand the rules of the game.

Drawing to a natural close, when Tsubaki popped the tab on the beer, the group dissolved into various sub units avoiding BlackStar and Tsubaki who were arguing on who would drink the beer.

"Babe, it's warm. I'm just thinking of you." BlackStar whined emphatically as he glanced at the beer Tsubaki was guarding.

"Uh-huh." Tsubaki snorted, "Like I said. I can drink this one for myself. Though I appreciate the offer. Go get yourself another beer instead, love." With that declaration, Tsubaki popped the can the rest of the way and chugged the beer quickly before BlackStar could grab it.

"Alright, Tsu!" Liz and a few of the other girls called out.

"Tsubaki, is usually a lot more reserved than this. I think the group tension finally got to her." Soul flinched, as the voice from behind him came into view. Soul registered Kid's pause, as if he was asking to continue, and with a slight jerk of his head Soul indicated he was listening.

Soul sighed and ran his hands through his hair as he and Kid both started to speak.

"Look, man…"

"Kid, I'm sor-"

Soul paused and looked up to see an expression of apology mixed with a bit of humor cross Kid's face. He knew his own expression was a mirror of Kid's and instead of continuing the nonsense. He slapped Kid lightly on the back and with a slight chuckle said, "Let's just get a drink?"

Soul instinctively knew that things were better know, when Kid slapped his back in return and challenged, "just try and keep up."

* * *

"Told you they'd make up, Maka." Liz said as she tried to subtly point to Soul and Kid drinking at the counter. "They're too alike to stay mad for long."

Maka just grunted and forced Liz to put her arm down. Her pointing had been a wide sweeping gesture and the level of her voice was not being maintained well. "Whatever you say, Liz." She glanced over at the two to find Kid looking at her. Her face flushed a bit as she imagined some of the whispered promised he has said earlier. Uncharacteristically, he winked at her before returning back to his conversation with Soul. Maka couldn't help but smile a little, which seemed to catch Liz's attention.

"Just be nice to him, ok." Liz seemed to have sobered a little as her voice was modulated and finally the proper volume. "He deserves it you know."

"I know." Maka sniffed.

"I hope so, love." Liz said it sweetly, but the sound of doubt lingered forcing the conversation to an awkward close. Luckily, Patty arrived to rescue.

"LIZ!" Patty exclaimed, as she ran up with her phone out, "There's a legendary raid at the statue near the Grind! Do you mind if I go?" Patty had been the only one of the group to continue playing Pokemon Go throughout the lifetime of the app, and was still heavily involved in the game.

Liz rolled her eyes, "Yeah of course." Just be careful. You did drink a bit."

"Yes, but not as much as you." Patty smirked and kissed her sister's forehead before flouncing toward the door. "I should be back in maybe an hour." She blew a kiss toward the both of them and waved at the rest of the party, and then she was gone.

* * *

The party had died down a little, and the remaining party goers were in various knots around the room, listening to Lana Del Rey's "Love." Soul found himself humming along to the plaintive voice and his fingers tapped lightly on Liz's forehead where she lay in his lap. They were watching a game of euchre unfolding as Kid and Maka beat the shit out of BlackStar and Tsubaki, who it turns out could not hold her liquor as well as she promised and was a large tell for Kid and Maka.

It was close to 2 in the morning and the rest of the various persons had either passed out or gone home. Soul had been debating the same when Liz had collapsed on the couch and asked him to rub her head. So, now he sat watching the very one-sided euchre game.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and a gruff voice stated, "Campus police. Open up."

"Shhhhhiiiiiittt." BlackStar sighed from the floor. "This is why we do this at your place Tsu." BlackStar glanced at her, and Tsu had gone as white as a sheet.

"BlackStar, I've never gotten a mark. What do I do?"

The knock sounded forcefully again. "Campus police, this is the last attempt. We are looking for an Elizabeth Thompson. Open the door."

Liz sat up quickly from her place on Soul's lap.

"Liz, what's going on?" Kid said his voice and expression mimicking the confusion on everyone else's.

"I don't know. BlackStar take Tsu to the back room. If they aren't here to bust us then she can't get in trouble if they don't see her." Then quickly standing up and moving toward the door, Liz called out "Coming! Just a second." Her voice didn't tremble, but Soul could tell she was worried by the way she held her back straight as if she might collapse. Tsubaki hurried to the back, "I'm sorry Liz." She whispered, as she disappeared into the back room.

Liz pulled the door open quickly, "I'm Liz Thompson. What's wrong?"

Two burly men, stood with their hands hanging awkwardly in front of them.

"We were sent by the Dean." One started.

"Your sister is…." The other said at the same time. Before the first elbowed him.

"What?" Liz's face had blanched and Soul and the others quickly came to stand behind her.

The first man, shifted his weight from foot to foot actively avoiding looking up. "The Dean sent us from the infirmary. There's been an incident with a Patty Thompson."

"What…." Liz's voice held a different tone, the anguish leaking out with the last of the almost silent 't'.

"We need to see some identification before we can tell you Ma'am." The second man said looking her in the face with a pitying expression. "I'm sorry." He said a little softer.

Liz hurriedly pushed past the collection of the friends behind her scrambling through a mess of coats and junk to find her purse. Maka came to help her look, the both of them throwing things haphazardly around. Then Liz emerged and her hands scrabbled at the zipper, and pulled a number of various cards and bills out dropping most of them in her haste. She ignored them, and ran back to the men with what Soul assumed was her student ID. Maka dutifully picked up the cards and bills carefully replacing them in Liz's purse.

She handed the card to the second man, who looked at it carefully before looking up at the group behind Liz. "I think it would be better to do this in private Ms. Thompson."

"Just tell me what happened to Patty!" Liz shouted glaring at the men.

"Ma'am it's a personal matter. I think it might be best…"

"Just fucking tell me," Liz screamed almost hitting the men, before Kid caught her arm, "Please, just tell me." She whispered.

"We'll be right here, Liz" Kid said letting her arm down gently and gesturing toward the small kitchen.

The group stepped back leaving Liz with the men. And though they were further away, they all still heard the whispered explanation on why the men had shown up at 2 am, and not to bust the party.

"Ma'am, Patty asked us to come get you. She was attacked on campus. I'm afraid she was found passed out and we fear that she may have been a victim of sexual assault."


	16. Chapter 16

_Who the fuck thought this would be comforting._ Maka's thoughts swirled through her head, a tangled mess of self doubt, worry, and a critical view of the hospital waiting room. She sat stiffly in the armchair. Her legs pulled up to her chest, while her chin rested on her knees. Her vision was centered on the off-mint wall across from her, only broken by the occasional splash of black as Kid paced irritably back and forth. Maka tilted her head slightly, taking in the rest of the group. Soul and BlackStar both sat incredibly still. BlackStar's maniacal energy contained to a single point of pressure only visible by the way his knuckles stood out white against the rest of his hands. Tsubaki sat ramrod straight next to him. Her gaze distant and unfocused, one of her hands resting lightly on BlackStar's thigh. Soul sat on BlackStar's other side. His posture at odds with the tension that held him so tightly. He sat lounged at an angle that seemed almost impossibly at ease, though at the same time impossibly uncomfortable.

 _How long has Liz been in there?_ Maka shifted her head again, looking once more at the doorway that Liz had gone through. _What if…_ Maka shook her head dispelling the thought and unclenching her hands from around her knees, she let her legs sink to the floor.

She saw Kid head toward the desk again, and another heated conversation began. The hospital staff were kind, in a robotic non-committal way. Their job was to offer comfort for those waiting, but not necessarily to instill hope. They knew time would move the same for them regardless of the outcome. For those in the waiting room, the time seemed to be moving too slowly. The mint walls coming closer every second and the hallway that led to Patty growing more distant with every minute. Maka pressed a hand to her chest, and took a deep breath, trying to fend off the encroaching feeling of panic.

The hallway door swung open.

Maka knew just as her own eyes darted to the door, everyone else's must have been a mimic of hers. Someone in uniform came out, "I was asked to let you know that you can all come back now. Ms. Thompson didn't want to-"

The lady was cut off as the group pushed past her, only pausing for a second as Kid garbled out "what's room number?"

"uh- "

"Room?" the strain in his voice growing ever more evident.

"It's 302, all the way down and to the left."

* * *

Soul saw Maka hang back slightly as they all reached the door, moments after they had pushed past the uniform in the hallway. He could only imagine what might be playing through her mind. _Hell, I mean what if…._ He pushed the thought away as they all pushed through the door in a tangled mass of limbs and worry.

The first thing Soul registered was the relief etched in Liz's face.

"Hey guys." She breathed out the words slowly, her gaze slowly registering each of them as they neared the hospital bed where Patty lay. "She just fell back asleep. I don't want to leave her, so we have to be super quiet." She glared warningly at BlackStar before continuing, "So, they found Patty passed out, but there are no signs of… any uh… forced trauma." Liz paused, and Tsubaki laid a hand gently on her shoulder. "When Patty woke up she was able to tell me and the cops a little more." Liz's eyes became flintlike as her voice dropped and became colder, "I guess some assface with some fucked up eyebrow tattoo tried to attack her while she was walking back from the raid, but she was able to fend him off and then luckily Ox or Killik or one of them happened to walk by and the guy got spooked." Liz looked over proudly, but with a slight hint of loving disapproval. "Patty being a ninny and also super freaked, ran from Ox and Killik and hid in a back alley where she passed out." Liz shrugged, "the doctors aren't really sure why she responded like that, so they're evaluating her bp and stuff before they release her."

Soul had felt Maka flinch slightly and out of the corner of his eye had seen her face blanch when Liz had mentioned the tattoo. He hoped for her sake, no one else had seen it.

However, sometimes hoping just isn't enough.

"So," Liz turned toward Maka, her voice regaining the ice it had lost as she had talked about Patty, "Maka."

Maka nodded resolutely indicating she both had heard and knew what was about to happen.

"I don't suppose you might know anything about this." Liz's voice had not risen in volume, but the tone and the weight it carried screamed the words directly at Maka.

Soul tensed, and he saw Kid do the same. Soul knew about the tattoo, and he saw Kid quickly make a connection, and the crushing realization flashed across his face. He quickly stepped away from Maka, and ran his hands through his hair as he sank into a chair next to the bed.

"What's she talking about, Maka?" Tsubaki's voice pulled Soul away from Kid's understanding and he the mixed looks of confusion and worry on both BlackStar and Tsu's faces.

"The man that tried to attack me," Maka paused and Soul saw her pushing her thumbnail into the palm of her hand, "also had a tattoo on his eyebrow. And no." Maka took another deep breath and closed her eyes, "I didn't report it."

"Get out." It was only a whisper, but the finality of the words carried a weight that a louder voice would have lost.

"Liz, I didn't…"

"Maka, just go." This time, it was not Liz who spoke. Soul turned quickly back toward where Kid had collapsed in the chair, his head hung in his hands, his normally stiff posture broken by a bleak disappointment that hung in heavy folds on his shoulders. "Just go."

* * *

 _I'm not going to cry. I'm not going to cry. I'm not going to…_ Maka made it all the way to the exit with the mantra repeating resolutely in her head. However, the mantra had quickly become spoken as Maka's pace intensified and she began to whisper it to herself as her mind couldn't drown out the looks on her friend's faces. Her whisper became faster and faster as she all but sprinted the last few feet out the door. Then it was all she could do to catch her breath as she ran.

* * *

"Shit," BlackStar muttered as he and Soul left the hospital not long after Maka's forced ejection. "Shit on a fucking stick, fuck."

He and BlackStar wandered out of the hospital and began meandering toward their dorms. "I mean fucking shit, man."

"Dude, I get it." Soul ran a hand through his hair. "I mean I get why they're angry. But it's not Maka's fault. You know?"

"Shiiiit." BlackStar kicked a rock on the sidewalk, "I mean, it's not. But Jesus Christ, dude. Why didn't she report it? What if Patty hadn't been a fucking ninja shithead when she was younger? What if it was Tsu? I mean fuck, man."

"I'm not disagreeing, but fuck man. They can't seriously blame her for a fucking psychopath being crazy, right?"

"I'm just glad Kid and Tsu are staying with Liz tonight."

"Why's that?"

"Cause I'd be worried she'd try and find Maka and beat the shit out of her otherwise."

Soul glanced over at BlackStar to see if he was kidding, the burnt yellow of the street lights had thrown his face in a harsh relief and all Soul could see was a creeping misery. The truth sunk in.

"I'm going to go find Maka."

"Dude, you know if you do. You're effectively choosing sides." BlackStar air quoted the last of his sentence. "Liz'll never forgive you."

"She didn't do anything wrong." Soul shrugged, "everyone gets scared and fucks up."

"Best of luck, Soul." BlackStar slapped him on the back. "You're a good guy, you know?"

"Yeah. I think that's probably an overstatement."


End file.
